Holiday Miracle Series
by mandymld
Summary: Jake is alive and returned home to his mother on Easter, plus another mysterious return makes Johnny and his son's Christmas.
1. Chapter 1

_**THE EASTER MIRACLE**_

Doctor Jeff Webber was annoyed, his wife was supposed to start her shift at the hospital over fifteen minutes ago and once again she was late. For about a month this has been happening more and more frequently. But literally for the last eight or nine months she had been distracted; her mind clearly not on her job.

Furious when he realized he was once again dependent on the subway system, he stalked down the stairs to the correct tunnel and walked on to one of the cars. Looking around he grimaced, it was clean, but still subways all had the same feel and this one today was crowded with kids and their mothers. Since learning about his daughters' loss, he found himself regretting mistakes in the past and seeing all these children and their bright and smiling faces made him want to hurl himself out in front of the speeding rail car, not ride in it.

Even more annoying was that they all got off at the same spot as him. Trying to maneuver around them, he heard a colleague call out his name. Turning to see the head of the Obstetrics department, he waited until the woman had joined him. "Marta, wonderful to see you; I thought you were going out of town this weekend to your dacha."

"We were, but my grandson refuses to miss the hunt. With Carolyn there I knew you would be joining her soon and was hoping to talk to you about your idea for treating the children in Utero for their effects of the radiation poison." she said as they hurried up the stone steps.

Seeing all the children, he grimaced as he was lead over to a bench where clearly Marta's daughter and son in law were waiting with a very excited four year old. After the introductions, Jeff listened to the excited little boy talking to his father about searching for eggs while hopping around in the bunny suits that a lot of the children were wearing on that cold day.

"Isn't that your wife?" asked Marta pointing out a woman in the distance talking to a woman dressed in the uniform of a nanny. "Oh, look at that cute little boy?"

Jeff turned and saw his wife, she was talking to someone but he couldn't see the child. "I wonder who they are. I am surprised; Carolyn isn't that big of a fan of children. Not even her own until they were adults."

Marta frowned a bit then said "Jeff, then why are the two of you looking into adoption. I heard Carolyn talking to Doctor Stanhope, that British shrink about recommending the two of you to adopt your dead daughter's children?"

Staggering at the idea that once again he was learning about his own children from a stranger, Jeff said tightly "Excuse me, a moment Marta."

Stalking over to where Carolyn was talking to the nanny never noticing Marta following with a frown on her face, when what his wife called the little boy made him freeze. "Jake, your mommy and brothers wouldn't want you to be like that. Why don't you find a couple of pretty eggs and we will keep them on a shelf in memory of them."

Marta caught Jeff's arm when the man sank to the ground while the older blond woman who hadn't seen them was leading a little boy away. Jeff seemed to gasp then with shaky hands drew out his phone; showing Marta the picture on it. "Is that the same little boy? Please, tell me I am not imagining this?"

"Jeff, what is going on? Yes, that is the same little boy. Isn't he your grandson Jake? Carolyn told us your daughter Elizabeth had died in a hit and run and that you two were taking in her grandson." Marta had always disliked Carolyn, she had a bit of a loose screw but there was clearly more to this story.

"No." he said his voice breaking as he recalled all the conversations he had had recently with Carolyn about regretting their mistakes, about wishing for a second chance. Then they had ceased just about the time that his son Steven had called to give him the news regarding Jake, just about the time that Carolyn had gone to Ireland supposedly for a conference.

"Marta, I need a favor. A really big one." he said soberly then told her. Watching the confused look on the doctor's face, he then gave her the rest of the story. Hearing her gasp in shock, he said sorrowfully. "I think that I need to contact the police. Will you come with me?"

"I can do you one better." she said grimly then called over her son. "Jeff, my son is the lead council, the Russian version of a district attorney, like your Jack McCoy."

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Jeff's lips twitched. Marta was a large fan of American law shows and frequently would discuss them with him at work, wanting to know the why and the how of certain cases she saw on the shows. "Can you help us?"

"I will arrange for an officer to follow your wife, and then have the nanny picked up." he told the doctor who tried to call Port Charles. Being told that Steven was in surgery, he wanted to call Elizabeth, to give her the news but knew that there was a good likelihood that she wouldn't believe him.

_

Across town, the officer followed his boss's order and was soon lead to one of the nicer apartment blocks in all of Moscow; where the athletes, politicians and dancers had lived under the old Soviet regime. Now it was anyone with a large enough income. Seeing the lights come on, he saw the little boy with the sad face looking out the window, the tears coursing down his cheek; the bright blue eyes quite clear even through the glass.

Meanwhile, Jeff had gone home and tore his house apart. Finding the locked cabinet, he didn't bother with pretty, he just went to the garage and found the hammer and smashed at it until it opened. Reaching the letters inside, he was furious, murderously so with his wife. Marta was soon knocking on the door with her son who silently handed him the file.

Jeff handed over what he was reading and read the other file. "Who is this Siobhan?"

"She is the woman married to your ex-son-in-law. I don't know if he was a part of this, but from what she is saying on the tapes, she claims to have done this for him. So he would no longer have to claim a child that wasn't his. Yet, according to these letters, this was his idea when he learned the truth." said Sergei sitting the folded letters down on the desk. "What are you going to do?"

"I am going to get my grandson back to my daughter that is what I am going to do. You have no idea, none the hell she has gone through over the last few years. I would like to convince her to move here, to escape those bastards in that town." he fumed then with a caustic laugh said "Not that I have been much of a father. When can we get my grandson?"

"I am only waiting for the paperwork. What about your wife?" he asked the man pacing back and forth like a caged tiger. "Do you want to press charges against her?"

"Hell yes." he growled. "But all that can wait, first I need to get my grandson to his mother, Elizabeth and her other two boys shouldn't have to celebrate tomorrow without Jake." he stated then frowned. "Wait, I can take him, can't I?"

"We have already made arrangements." said Sergei. "You should know I have some contacts that are still looking into this, clearly there had to be some other people involved than this Siobhan woman."

"Oh I have a few ideas on that too." grimly replied Jeff as he started to make plans. He didn't know Mac Scorpio, the police commissioner in Port Charles and didn't trust him. He also knew that his only legal contact in that town was Scott Baldwin, a man who had tried to embezzle from a baby.

Calling around, he finally reached someone that could help him. "I need to hire you."

The man on the other end asked what for. Hearing what the blond wanted, he gave a cold smile then said "That can be taken care of. Anything else?"

"No, I just want to get my grandson home to his mother." he said then hearing the knock on the door and the gathering of officers, let the man know he would be in Port Charles by late the next evening. The lawyer hung up and said "Good things come to those who wait, now I have you, Mr. Morgan."

Calling his people he said "Be on the lookout for this man tomorrow at the airport. I have no idea which flight he will be on, but I want him and that child he will have with him escorted immediately to where I will be."

An hour later, Jeff was holding a crying little boy, promising him that no, his mommy and brothers weren't dead even as he glared at his wife. "Why, Carolyn, why on earth would you do this to Elizabeth to this innocent little boy?"

"I wanted to fix things, do like we were talking about. Fix our mistakes. Elizabeth isn't fit to be his mother, he needs us, he needs me." she pleaded with him to understand. "Don't you see, when I heard, when I found out about Jake. I just had to."

"Why not tell your daughter, tell Elizabeth that her son was alive?" he wanted to shout, to scream at the top of his lungs at the woman in front of him but as she went on and on about regretting her mistakes and how she had only found out about Jake just before he had ended up disappearing and how it was a miracle that she was going to get to raise a child, a son who would be the perfect blend of their families.

"No, he is a little boy missing his mother. There is no forgiveness for what you did." he said coldly then gathered up the few toys that looked like they had been played with and carried Jake from the room and down to the waiting car. He had a suitcase in the trunk and the nanny had been ordered to pack up a few items for Jake.

"What about the nanny? Did she get to make her call?" he asked Sergei.

"No, from her resemblance to the Irish girl I am going to keep her on ice for at least 3 days, that should give you time to get your grandson home to his mother, before they can make another attempt. What about the Port Charles end?"

"I called an attorney to protect my daughter's interests, and then made arrangements for the State Police to make the arrest when I am there so there can be none of the usual nonsense that seems to happen in Port Charles. I am also going to make very clear to my daughter that while Lucky wasn't in on it, he was behind it. What sort of man says stuff like that to anyone about a child." he said bleakly while watching his now sleeping grandson.

"You read the letters, it was all about control." replied Sergei. Marta hugged her colleague as he started to cross to the private jet moments later. "Best of luck, Ivan and I will be praying for you and your family."

"Marta, I am not sure if I will return, so thank you and tell Ivan that I send my thanks for his friendship the last few years." With that he ducked his head a bit as he carried Jake over to the seats. Once he was belted in, Jeff tried to call Steven before the jet took off, getting told by the nurse that he was still in surgery, he asked "This is his father, could you let my son know that I am flying home, that it is an emergency."

The nurse took the note down, then placed it on Steven's desk before going to finish her shift. Seeing Elizabeth Webber, she was about to tell the nurse that her father had called when her husband showed up with their kids. Seeing her children's impatience, she just frowned a bit as she climbed on the elevator wishing she had had a chance to tell the still mourning nurse. 

Easter Morning

Carly saw her little girl's incision and mentally thanked Jason for giving her daughter a chance to live even as she watched Joss fighting taking the medicine that she would take for the rest of her life. When she saw the anger in Jax's face, she waited until their daughter was back in her room and snapped "What is your problem?"

"Do you realize that if Joss had had chemo, she wouldn't need drugs for the rest of her life? That if you had not been so worried about how she would have looked, that she wouldn't be forced to take drugs to stay alive?" Jax had been bitterly angry since he had heard from a specialist that his daughter might have been perfectly fine after chemo that this transplant might have been unnecessary if Carly had bothered to listen to what people had told her.

Now, instead their daughter would be taking drugs, had suffered undeniable pain because the blond thought that she knew better than the doctors. When she had gone back into Joss's room, Jax headed for the elevator. Seeing Jason Morgan coming off of it, he growled at the blond bastard and said "I need to talk to you about Carly, in the conference room. NOW!"

Annoyed but seeing Elizabeth in the distance and not wanting to run into the woman he had hurt so badly, Jason followed Jax and when the door was closed looked at the Aussie who snarled the whole story at him. Blinking a bit, Jason said "That can't be true; Carly told me that without the transplant her daughter wouldn't live."

"OUR, Morgan, our daughter." he said emphasizing that Joss was also his child. "That is not what a single one of the doctors told her. Now, Joss is going to have to take drugs the rest of her life, worry about the transplant being rejected that can happen years later. Do you understand what I am saying? What my daughter's life is going to be like; all because Carly wouldn't listen to anyone but you? That she thought she knew better than the doctors. Hell, did you go talk to anyone before you agreed to let them rip open your son to give my daughter a part of him. Hell did you bother to hug and tell Elizabeth you were sorry before you once again ripped her heart out for the sake of my wife?"

Jason saw the look of disgust on the blonde's face, then the man storm out the door. Sitting down in one of the chairs, his mind on all he had heard, Jason could still hear the words that Elizabeth had said to him when he had asked about the transplant, then feel the slap on his face. The slap that had finally made him accept that they would never ever have that second chance.

Even after when they had both talked to one another, he had felt the distance and he had wanted to say that the ties had been cut because of the loss of their son, but in truth, he had known that the moment he had let Sam back into his life that that link to Elizabeth was dying and that he had killed it.

Wiping the tears, he reminded himself that that was for the best, that in spite of the fact that terrible things happened all the time, Elizabeth wasn't meant to live in his world. Standing he went up to the roof, his mind recalling the time he had been there with her making plans only to see a fire at the warehouse, at Kelly's. Those fires had been the breaking point; his son's kidnapping the last straw.

Elizabeth had never looked at him the same after that. He had seen the disgust, the anger in her eyes, oh there had been moments he had clearly knew how much she blamed him, but then it would come back and that pain, that disgust was worse because it was clear that she held him responsible for everything that had gone wrong.

At the penthouse after having been gone all night, he slipped up the stairs, seeing the body in his bed and assuming it was Sam went to shower, making plans to take his bike out for the day and try to figure out what came next. There were so many things wrong, so much he had to concentrate on; he found himself desperately wishing for down time, for peace just for a few moments but that peace was gone, it had been badly hurt in a roadhouse in the middle of nowhere, and had died at the hospital the day his son had.

Sam awoke lying in the big bed, her mind on how she had gotten back all she had lost. Hearing the shower starting, she looked down at her stomach, imagining the day that Jason's child, a child created by their love would grow inside of it.

Hearing her cell phone, she saw it was her sister and answering it thought about who else might be at that Easter Egg hunt and couldn't resist telling her that she would be there. While she no longer hated Elizabeth Webber, making sure that the brunette knew that Jason was HERS and always had been was a win-win.

Thinking back on what Carly had told her about how the nurse always tried to worm her way back in, she had done her best to keep her away from Jason. From her stopping over to express sympathy to her making sure that Jason who hadn't really wanted to go in the first place hadn't gone to the funeral.

When the water again stopped, Sam quickly rushed to use the spare bathroom. Jason had told her he had something to do today, it was why he had suggested she spend the night at her place, but she had no intention none of letting him be alone, of letting him mourn alone.

Hearing the shower start in the guest bathroom, Jason quickly got out of the penthouse, needing the time alone. On his bike he headed up the curved roads, his mind on his son and the woman who he had lost. Stopping up at Vista Point, he looked around, then quickly hopped back onto his bike, this was not the place to think clearly about moving on, accepting that dreams were just that dreams.

Gossamer dreams that were never meant to succeed in real life. Jake's death, while the direct result of a car accident in truth was the result of those dreams. He had reached for those dreams one night in August, the night he had given in to his long time feelings for Elizabeth. He had told her he would never regret that night, but in truth, if he hadn't, then this pain, this agonizing pain wouldn't be tearing him apart with no one to help him work through it.

Across town, the man grinned at the idea of finally wrapping up this whole Port Charles mess and getting on with his life. Calling his contact he said "I have the goods on Morgan, they will be arriving sometime tonight."

"Good, you will keep your promise regarding my son?" asked the crazy man on the other end.

"Already taken care of." said the man coldly then he started to shut down his operations here in Port Charles, knowing that by the end of the day he would have his chess pieces exactly where he wanted them, He had lost a piece a while back, but now it was back in play and he would finally have what he wanted, revenge against the man who had ruined his family's life. 

Elizabeth was numb when she got home. Steven was there getting the boys ready for their day when he told her he would take them to church for her to get some sleep. However he had no sooner left when there was a soft knock on the door. Letting in Maxie Jones, she said wearily. "I need sleep, whatever it is, do it later."

"No, we have to talk." she said efficiently shedding her coat and her purse. "Trust me; you will sleep a whole hell of a lot better after hearing my news."

"What is it, Maxie?" she asked a bit short. Then seeing the blond was furious she said "Whatever imagined wrong that you think I did to you, I am not even going to bother..."

"Will you shut up?" snapped Maxie glaring at the woman. "While I loathe you, you aren't the reason I am pissed. That lousy bitch altered the tests."

"Which lousy bitch, Port Charles has so many of them." she retorted. "What are you going on about?"

"Lucky isn't the father, Elizabeth." drawled Maxie. "Lisa for some reason altered the tests. I found proof today. Here."

Reading the paperwork Elizabeth's eyes widened then she gave a cold and bitter chuckle. "Uh, Maxie clearly someone did because this test says neither Lucky nor Nik are the father."

"Duh, I know." she replied then said "And while I doubt you slept with anyone else, I overheard Lucky and Siobhan talking about Helena and remembered she was around at the time you got pregnant. Now, since I can't really understand the test results I did some looking on the Internet, at least some good came out of my relationship with Spinelli. Anyhow, what I found was that according to this, because they are related your child should have some alleles in common but your son doesn't have the ones they have in common."

A bit stunned as she read the results and realized the ditzy blond was right, Elizabeth sank onto her steps and said "Oh my god, you are right. What on earth is going on?"

"I don't know, and while I don't like you, I do like solving mysteries but I won't tell Spinelli, he wouldn't be able to keep his mouth shut." she said frowning a bit. Something was bothering her, something was telling her not to go to her ex-non husband about this.

"Maxie, my life is not your mystery." she snapped then said "Oh my god, what am I going to tell Nik?"

"Simple, tell him his grandmother fucked with your life one too many times and this is the result if he doesn't like it, he can take it up with his crazy granny." she said shrugging. "You worry too much about what other people think. Worry about your kid, seriously Elizabeth. Who gives a crap what Nik thinks, or even Lucky for that matter? I mean, this crazy woman did this, you were the VICTIM, not the one doing it."

Elizabeth started to protest when Maxie rolled her eyes. "Oh please, climb down off your cross and stop acting like a martyr. You act like you are responsible for every single thing that has gone wrong, when you aren't. I can't believe I am saying this, but Georgie used to do the same thing. Hell she blamed herself for Lulu getting pregnant, when we both know that she wasn't responsible any more than you are for this."

"Maxie why are you here and telling me this?" she asked looking at the blond. "What is in it for you?"

"I don't know I just know that something isn't right." she said with another shrug. "Look, go get your sleep and I will see what else I can find out. Maybe ask Johnny or something."

"I don't think that is such a good idea." she said "However you will do what you want so I am going to bed. Don't you get killed; I would hate to have your death on my conscious."

When she walked out the door, Maxie darkly said "As if I would give you the satisfaction of being able to feel guilt at my death. No way in hell."

Driving over to John's club, she frowned a bit at all of the commotion going on. When she asked to speak to the man, she was told he was unavailable. "When will he be back?"

"Don't know, don't care. Not my business." said the mover as he went to grab another case. Maxie glared then went to GH where she saw Jasper Jacks arguing yet again with his wife. Listening in, she had had enough when she heard the blond saying that the transplant had been the best idea.

Walking away at first, she stopped spun around and walked back. Glaring at Carly she gave a knowing laugh and said "You are such a selfish bitch."

Jax had no idea what was going on but when Maxie slapped his wife and then continued, he was shocked to find himself wanting to cheer the bubble head on as she laid the facts of living with organ transplant on his wife. After words, Carly had a mutinous expression on her face that said she hadn't listened to a word the blond said but what came out next certainly got her attention.

"I know what this was about, you know what Carly selfish bitch isn't even the right word, a selfish obsessive bitch is more like it. When you heard about Jake, that was when you got this idea, isn't it. You just had to have that last piece of Jason Morgan didn't you?" she said.

"Yeah, that is what this was about; you destroyed your daughter's life so that you could have a piece of Jason inside of her. Too bad his son died for that to happen, too bad Elizabeth's son with Jason had to die. Have you yet said thank you to her, or has it been all about Jason?" she asked knowingly then looking at Jax said "Have you figured out what I am saying yet."

There were others who had gathered as Maxie had loudly made her accusations including Bobbie and Monica. Monica had seen the expression on Carly's face and the horror on Bobbies as they got that what Maxie had said had had a bit of truth in it.

Robin and Patrick had stopped with Emma and had heard and both felt sick at the expression on Carly's face. Looking at one another, they said "How are we going to tell Elizabeth? We have to because it will be spread through the gossip vine, but how do we tell her that her generous gift was used like that?"

"We also have to tell Morgan." said Patrick his mind on poor, poor Jake. Jason had been the one to ask Elizabeth and he had to be told what his best friend had done plus with the way she was pushing Sam to have Morgan's kid and how she had offered to carry said kid was now giving him the creeps even more than when he had heard it.

Calling the penthouse, he was told Sam expected Jason back any moment and after an argument with Robin regarding their next session with the marriage counselor he drove over to Harbor Towers furious that they hadn't gotten to spend the day as a family.

"Sam, I really need to talk to Jason." he told the short woman as they talked. "It's about Carly. Well maybe you should be there too."

"He was supposed to meet me before I went to my mothers." she said with a heavy sigh. "What did Carly do now?"

"Look, I hate to be involved in your personal business but..." Patrick only told her about what they had learned regarding the transplant. He saw the moment the dark haired woman started to connect the dots.  
>"So you think... that the offer to carry Jason and my child... would she... no, Carly wouldn't do that to me, to Jason." she said confidently. Patrick asked if she was sure and when Sam assured him he was wrong, left wondering if he had overreacted.<p>

Sam laughed at the doctors suspicions; Carly and she were in a good place. They were if not friends at least partners in crime. She had nothing to worry about from the blond, nothing at all.

_

Jeff was showing the passports and the paperwork to the men working the desk then was told a car was waiting for his grandson and him. "Thank you."

Across town, Elizabeth was joining her brother and her sons at the Easter Egg hunt. Seeing Lucky coming to greet them, she had expected him to stick around when he announced that they were having another session with Luke that afternoon.

While Elizabeth wished him well in getting the man to get some help. She found herself shocked to feel a deep sense of anger and resentment at both Lucky and Luke; for the loss of her son, for the many, many slights and insults and manipulations over the years.

Maxie's words had somehow taken root in Elizabeth's heart and her dreams had been filled with memories where she had taken on the responsibility for everyone else and how her own family had suffered. As she watched her boys, watched as Cam halfheartedly gathered eggs and said they were for Aidan, and that anger started to grow.

Looking around, seeing Sam McCall a woman who belonged in jail with her sisters. Sonny Corinthos sons with their brother the boy who had meant more to Jason than their son and others who over the years had hurt her family; hurt her children and wanted nothing more than to scream at all of them.

When she felt a hand on her arm and saw the flirty smile on Nik's face, she did push it off and snapped "Let me go, Nik. Just because your 'escort' left town, doesn't mean I want you around. We need to have a talk, later and I think you should know that your grandmother has been playing games."

Steven distracted the boys, including Spencer when Nik said "What are you talking about?"

Maxie sidled up to where Elizabeth was about to let the dark haired man have it and said "Why don't you use the picnic pavilion."

Elizabeth took out the paperwork from her purse and handed it to the dark haired man. Nik read it, his eyes narrowing then looked at Maxie and said "What is your part in this nonsense."

"Oh it isn't nonsense and I just got more proof. Watch this, I got it from the hospital." she said with a smirk. Nik and Elizabeth watched, both gasping as they heard what Helena was telling the man on the tape. "I blackmailed the man who was getting the pills I was giving Lucky."

"How do I know that you didn't have Spinelli create this someway?" asked Nik his heart beating fast as he rewound to hear what his grandmother was saying. Taking yet another copy of test results, his heart broke as he saw that Elizabeth believed this to be true. "I-I really don't know what to say. Elizabeth, I promise I had no idea, none about any of this... I swear I will find out the truth, find out why she did this."

"No, just deal with her. I don't care about the why or even the who, not anymore. I just want you to let me live my life, to walk away." she said somberly. "I would like you to do one more thing, tell your brother who isn't going to believe it, but you deal with him first, I don't have it in me, not anymore. I am done, done with the whole Spencer/Cassadine family. You have been nothing but a pain for me since the moment I met Lucky. Well this cuts the last tie, I owe no one nothing, not anymore."

Nik staggered away, called the nanny and had her take Spencer back to the house, in spite of offers to keep him for the aftermath of the hunt. Arriving at the Haunted Star, he saw Luke once again tied up; the family gathered around, including to his disgust Carly and walked over, picked up a knife from the counter and ignoring the protests cut Luke loose.

Looking around, he said "Carly shouldn't you be sniffing up Morgan's butt, hoping he doesn't hate you for lying about needing Jake's kidney. Lucky, you are a good one to talk to anyone about addictions; you are still in denial about yours. Lulu, your father may not have faced his crimes, but then neither has any of you. Luke. Luke... we need to talk. What did you do to piss off Helena about say two years ago?"

Lucky frowned and walked over to confront his brother when he saw him clasping a bunch of paperwork and that he looked down right deadly "What is going on Nik?"

"Elizabeth's son, Aidan; Helena created him in a Petri dish, neither one of us are the father and I have Helena on tape talking about manipulating Elizabeth into believing she was in love with me. It wasn't true, none of it. She set Elizabeth up for some reason, some reason that she claims only Luke knows." Nik glared at the man then at the others in the room.

Seeing Carly fleeing, he said "Run Carly, I don't know what you did, but I know you are a part of this mess, even if I don't know what part."

The blond quickly got off the boat and went to the hospital. Making sure everything was in place, she gathered what was needed then called one of Sonny's many doctors on the payroll. In about an hour, she was told she should lay still for another half hour, just to be sure that the transplanted embryo took as the doctor left.

Still on the Star, Luke was telling Nik he had no idea, none why Helena had been after his blood at that time. "I had done nothing new to her in months."

Frowning Lucky thought things through and said "Who was the real father?"

"Just a random sperm donation at the hospital." Nik said tired of all of this, of his family, of what he had lost over the past few years. "Elizabeth said she wants to see none of us that she would prefer that we leave her alone. Lucky that includes you."

"We should be mourning the loss of our son together." he said the tears starting to fall.

"No, Lucky... that is just it, he wasn't your son. Yeah, you played daddy but he wasn't a Spencer." said Luke tired of that nonsense. "He was Jason's whelp, not yours."

Lucky had loved that little boy but with his death as time went on he had come to accept that he had played daddy out of a sense of self-righteousness, and had come to face that he was starting to think of Cameron as an obligation he couldn't escape. Not that he didn't love the kid but in truth, he wanted something different from his life, the freedom he had lost by being tied down as a father to Elizabeth's kids.

_

Jeff had tried Elizabeth's house, not seeing lights or any cars, he told the driver to take him to the hospital but then changed his mind as he figured out the stunned reactions to his walking in with Jake. When the little boy insisted on going into his home, he felt bad telling him he didn't have a key. "Jakey wants to go home, go home now."

Wiping away the tears, Jeff once again tried to reach Steven who saw the caller ID and hit ignore. Right now trying to cheer up Cameron and help Elizabeth get through the day was more important than a call from his father where he heard the man's now constant lament about his mistakes in the past.

Inside the house, the blond man sitting on the sofa, wiping his tears as he fought desperately to let go of his dreams, of his family, swore he heard his son's voice. Shakily standing, he looked around. He had been doing fine, had been accepting that his future was with Sam, then he had accidentally driven down this street, seen the empty house and had faced up that no matter what, no matter how much pressure they wanted to put on him.

Sam and he having a child would be a mistake. You can't just exchange one child for another. That love doesn't just say okay now move on. Jake and his brothers would always hold his heart, would always be that deep empty hole that would never be filled. Touching the photo on the mantle, he found himself pulling it down onto his lap as he touched the face of Elizabeth as she stood next to her grandmother.

The blond who had snuck here, still not sure why she was so suddenly up in Elizabeth's life heard the deep from the gut sobs, then saw from her hidey hole the picture and felt sick as she listened to Jason Morgan fall apart. Realizing that in spite of what was going on in his life, in spite of moving on bodily and saying he had moved on emotionally Jason clearly hadn't.

When the older man stopped crying and gently replaced the photo before rubbing his face with the back of his hand, Maxie was shocked when she saw him look around the house then the watery eyes appear yet again before he took out his phone and said "We need to talk."

Not sure who he was talking to, Maxie listened as the door opened then closed. Sitting on the sofa, she would swear she could hear Georgie's voice asking if she was proud of herself and what she had done to Elizabeth, to Jason, to those boys. At the same mantle where Jason had stood, Maxie looked at Jake, at Cameron Webber and at Aidan who should have been Jason's son.

Then picked up her phone and went to call Sam. Reaching her friend and hearing how excited she was about the chance of having Jason's child and knew that that wasn't going to happen. Feeling bad for Sam, she then looked back at the photo on the mantles, then said "Sam, are you sure that you want a life with JASON? That there isn't anyone better out there; I mean he never puts your first."

"No, this time will be different, when we have our own child it will be different." she insisted more to herself than to the blond on the other end.

"It wasn't when he had Jake, others were still more important." she said doubtfully. "I just think you need to consider this."

"Maxie you are worrying about nothing. Trust me, Jason will finally put me first, he will have to." she said assuredly. "And if he doesn't, I will still have his child, I will have won."

"Won what? Exactly?" asked Maxie a bit tartly. "Against who?"

"Jason will stay with me because of our child, and I will have proved that I am the only and the best woman to be the mother of his child, I will prove it to Carly, to Elizabeth. Everyone will know that I am the best person for Jason. That I am the one who he truly loves, that he has never stopped loving me."

Maxie hung up after a quick goodbye then thought about what had happened in this small cottage and said slightly broken. "No, Sam you are trying to have a replacement child for a man who sees you as there, a man who pines for another woman from afar. You have won nothing and lost everything and don't even know it. I can't let this happen, not to you, not to Elizabeth." 

Across town, Jeff was getting frustrated, no one was at the Hardy house, and he had tried his son again and again only to be sent to voice mail a dozen times. He had left messages all over town and was getting ready to just go to the police station when he saw he was on the road that the Quartermaine mansion was on.

"Stop at the large house with the roses." he told the driver then calling his contact asked if the man had any idea how to reach his daughter.

"I will do some looking into things." said the man even as he sent a text message to the men he had watching all the players. "I will get back to you in a bit."

Jeff knocked on the large door and when the maid who looked like a backup singer from some obscure German opera opened it asked to speak to Monica Quartermaine, explaining he couldn't come inside that his grandson was asleep in the car.

Monica heard the name and her eyes about popped out of her head; Edward followed his daughter in law to the doorway where he saw the tall handsome doctor trying to say something. "Jeff, just what is it."

"Monica, I am sorry to be doing this this way, but I can't locate Steven or Elizabeth." he said slightly exasperated. "It's extremely important I do so today and I really need your help with a small present I located in Russia for my daughter and her sons."

"Jeff, now is not the best time." she started to tell him his daughter was not up to dealing when the blond head in the back seat popped up rubbing his eyes. "OH MY GOD, THAT... THAT IS... IS THAT... JEFF WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?"

"It's a very long story but can you please come with me?" he asked tiredly. "I know about your son, but right now, my daughter and my grandson's are my first priority."

Edward was leaning against the door his heart a bit weak. The family had been keeping the news from him, thinking he wouldn't hear the gossip. He had let them, knowing how scared Monica and Tracy were for him but seeing that little boy, alive had him believing in miracles. "Jeff, I think we deserve to know how."

"I know, but first I would say my daughter does." he told the older man. Looking at Monica who had gone inside, grabbed her coat and purse he said "Do you know how to reach my daughter?"

"No, but I know where she is. I lost my cell phone and was waiting until tomorrow to get a new once since the hospital just pages me."

"Wait, why didn't I think of that." he groaned then called GH and held out the phone to her. Getting what he wanted, she said "No, we can track them down at the community center faster; if that doesn't work then we can page them."

Meanwhile Jason had heard the message from his mother to call her at the hospital from earlier that day. When he tried the house first, he was told that Alice thought she was on her way to the hospital with some man. Jason arrived on the parking lot, and slipped past where he knew that Carly was usually standing when not with Joss, his mind still processing all that Jasper Jacks had told him.

On the stairs, he was climbing them two at a time when he heard two nurses gossiping in the stairwell. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, can you believe it? No wonder Maxie Jones called her a selfish bitch. I can't believe that Carly Jacks admitted it though. She is really, really creepy. Who endangers their kid because they want their best friend to prove that her kid was more important than his as he lays dying in a hospital room."

"Yeah but what about Jason Morgan, he is the bastard that asked Elizabeth Webber to take Jake off life support to give a kid who didn't really need a kidney a kidney. I mean what kind of man puts someone else's kid before their own. Well I guess you have to be pretty cold to be in the mob." said the first nurse.

"Yeah but Morgan, is pretty hot but I wouldn't touch him. You know that woman he is dating now, Sam McCall. She slept with his partner was pregnant with his kid, then Jason took her in. Then she slept with his brother the DA. Lansing was married at the time to Sam's mom. Then she moved on with Elizabeth's husband and is now back with Morgan."

"Uh, that must be some pretty nasty soupy stuff." laughed the other nurse. "I mean everyone was giving Elizabeth a hard time about both Cassadine and Spencer but Corinthos and Lansing where brothers and her stepfather to boot. What a skank."

"Oh it gets worse, her mother and she both had kids by Corinthos." said the nurse. Jason just stopped listening as they them mentioned Carly and her connections to the same men. "Uh, how gross. Wow, no wonder Elizabeth ended up in ShadyBrook, between those two and that other skank Lulu Spencer attacking her over Nik... I mean they really have room to talk."

"I know. The part that is truly funny is that I heard McCall talking to Carly Jack about having a kid with Morgan. Turns out she has issues, anyhow, Carly offered to carry a kid for them."

"Yeah right, sounds like she is desperate to have this Morgan for herself." snorted the other nurse as they entered the doorway right above Jason's head. Furious to be the subject of malicious and incorrect gossip, Jason hurried the rest of the way to his mother's office.

A bit annoyed to not find her, but seeing Bobbie coming his way he was shocked when the red head apologized for what her daughter had done. Jason could only look at her as he got that what those woman had been saying was the truth. That Carly HAD admitted. His legs felt weak as he sat down on the assistant's desk outside his mother's office. When Bobbie just patted his shoulder then walked away, Jason closed his eyes, sick to his stomach as the whole house of cards that was his life started to collapse around him.

Hearing Carly's voice in his head, all of the times she had described herself as his best friend, all the times he had covered for her, all the times she had attacked Elizabeth. Things were starting to make him wonder about a lot of things, about all the lies he had told for her over the years in the name of their friendship, all the times he had given up his dreams to help her, to help Michael.

Walking down the hallway he saw the room where his son's life support had been turned off, entered and looked around at the clean and sterile room. Falling to his knees as he came to realize what had been happening in his life, he found he was numb as he accepted that he was angry.

Angry with Carly, angry with Sonny, angry with Brenda, with Sam, with Spinelli, with Michael, with every single person who he had given up bits and pieces of his soul for then admitted to himself his most secret pain that the person he was angry with the most was the woman who had the ability to destroy his soul. He was angry with Elizabeth for never giving her whole heart to him, to never trusting him as much as she trusted others.

And himself he was angriest at himself for not taking the chance the chance that Elizabeth had always described as being too big to take on a leap of faith. Because if he had ever just once leapt with looking in regards to the woman who had held part of him in her heart for so long maybe, just maybe he would have been happy in his life.

Jeff and Monica entered the community center in time to see Epiphany Johnson threatening bodily harm to Lucky Spencer. Glad that Edward had called them, insisting them come back to get him so that they could track down Elizabeth and he could stay with Jake, they were both furious at what they heard.

"Elizabeth is not here, why don't you go home to that Irish woman you are spending so much time with. Leave Elizabeth alone, she doesn't deserve to deal with your brand of tears and sympathy." she told the man who was protesting that he needed to speak to her.

"No, Spencer, you don't." said Epiphany then seeing Monica added. "Elizabeth left after Lucky here decided to tell her how he had scarified his own happiness over the years to make her happy. How his cheating with Sarah, then Maxie then that McCall woman were all because Elizabeth was not a good wife."

Lucky protested and said "That isn't what I said."

"It was the way you said it and how you meant it. Get out of here, go bother your best buddy Jason Morgan, you know the man you are suddenly so close to. The man you tried to set up on a fake drug bust, the one that almost caused Elizabeth to miscarry Jake. The man you had thrown in jail when he rescued Jake while you thought he was your son. Now his behavior doesn't matter to you, does it, because after all, he is away from Elizabeth? It's the only reason you are so accepting of him, because you could twist the screws about Jake."

"That isn't true, I loved that little boy like he was my own." said Lucky the tears now beginning to fall.

"Go try and sell that to someone who will buy it Spencer." said Jeff Webber disgusted. "I had a long talk with my daughter Sarah. She gave me a very clear picture of you, of the rest of your family, not that I really needed it. I called my mother years ago and told her I wanted Luke or Bobbie's kids anyplace near my daughter, she ignored my wishes and now you have proven my worst fears to be true. Your family is a bunch of users who think the world owes them. Go away, leave my daughter alone."

"Your daughter? Yeah right, even Luke has been more of a father than you ever were." he sneered at the man.

"Maybe but then I never sold my sister into prostitution, never forced myself on a woman, and never used emotional blackmail to get people to do what I wanted. I might have been a bad father, but I can honestly say I don't look for the angles before helping people either. Spencer, you are an abusive prick hiding behind a badge who turns his head when it suits you."

Jeff looked at the man in disgust and saw that Monica finally understood why he had denied giving Lucky a chance to see Jake when Lucky started to complain about Elizabeth cheating on him with his brother, saying that he really doubted that Nik was telling the truth. That he was finding excuses for his and Elizabeth's bad behavior.

"You mean like blaming your cheating and abuse of drugs and your underage mistress." said Monica.

Maxie winced then said "Uh, I agree with you but I wasn't underage."

Turning to look at the blond, Lucky said "What are you saying?"

"Lucky, I saw the tape; I know what Helena said on it. How she set Elizabeth up. You have to know, she didn't mean to get involved with Nik. But we both know you meant to hurt her with your affair with Sam. I don't know about Sarah, I was just a kid at the time. As for us, I am just as responsible. I do have to ask, you have been saying how dangerous Jason Morgan's life is, but weren't you working undercover as an assassin. Wasn't that equally as dangerous to your sons?"

Wondering why Maxie was turning on him, he saw Sam talking to her mother and sisters while watching all of this play out. "N-no, I am a cop."

"Yeah, pretending to be a deadly assassin in the employ of the Balkan." she pointed out. "You brought Siobhan back here, where your family lived."

"Maxie, you have no idea what you are talking about. Why don't you stick to fashion and let those of us who are trained deal with the real world." he said condescendingly.

Maxie was itching to slap him but instead went to where Sam was standing and said "We need to talk. I know what you did, I know about the sperm deposit. What you don't know is that some of it was used."

"I don't know what you are talking about." she said uneasily looking to her family then at Maxie.

"There is no time for this. Carly had some eggs that were being stored at the hospital. She also knew what you did. She left GH a while ago with a container carrying two frozen embryos and a doctor."

Sam swallowed hard and said "You are wrong, Carly and I declared a truce."

With a sad and depressed chuckle she said "You two had a common enemy, Elizabeth Webber. You both know the truth. That Jason still loves her. The fake grief when Jake died is proof enough of that. C'mon Sam we sat in your apartment, you TOLD me all about how you watched Jake get kidnapped, how you hired those men to threaten Elizabeth."

"What are you talking about?" asked Sam her eyes' pleading with Maxie to shut up while Alexis felt sick as she got what was being said. Molly was staring wide eyed at her sister while Kristina was just feeling a bit spacier than usual.

"Sam, Jason is still in love with Elizabeth. We both know it, Carly knows it. Yeah, he has said he loved you but we know he is going through the motions. Women know these things. You can't tell me you don't know. This baby, this whole idea is because you think it will one up you over Elizabeth. It won't. This baby you want to have, it won't make Jason forget his son. Forget he loves Elizabeth. He will bury it but you and this child would get the short end of the stick because Jason Morgan is broken."

Spinelli was standing behind the two women torn between his goddess and his un-wife. He knew that Sam was the best woman for his friend but he also knew that Stone Cold had loved his son deeply. To the point of believing that he had loved the little boy's mother more than his goddess.

Stiffening Sam said "You know nothing about losing a child, you know nothing about Jason. He will be fine, all he needs is a new child to love, he will forget all about Jake, and he had already done so when the kid was alive, now he will have a real family. With me, the woman he was meant to be with."

Alexis found herself truly looking at Sam as she continued on, her mind stunned at what she was hearing but then things got really interesting as Molly seemed to be thinking hard on what her sister was saying. Then she said the last thing Sam needed to hear. "Sam."

"What is it Molly?" she asked a bit short, annoyed with Maxie and her nonsense.

""Sam, Jason is like Cupid in this book I am reading." Alexis blinked then felt her jaw drop as the young girl continued. "Cupid loves this woman but time and time again, his mother out of jealousy, his friends and those around him say she isn't the right girl for him. And she keeps dying and he keeps searching and searching through the decades and then centuries for her. Then they get one last chance and it is more than just their last chance, but the world's last chance because they, their differences are what will save everyone."

"Molly what are you saying?" asked Alexis not getting what was going on while Spinelli sense of coldness because this book was based on a video game, one he had played and never won.

"See Cupid loved a mortal, not a goddess and that was how it was meant to be according to the fates. But out of selfishness no one could see it. She is finally able to see him but thinks he is beyond her, he doesn't know she is the one, the woman he is fated to be with his soul mate because after all this time he had grown cold, grown cynical out of all the lost chances. He decides to accept the woman his mother wants but she is all wrong for him but the gods believe if he chooses her that the world will be saved. In the end, his true love almost dies and he has to choose between saving her and saving the world."

"Are you saying that I am his true love?" asked Sam while Alexis had finally pieced it together and suggested to Molly that it was only a book and not real life.

Molly ignored her mother and looked at Sam sadly saying. "In the book, terrible things are happening; people are dying because Cupid is making the wrong choice. But in the last second before the end of the world, he chooses his mortal friend, and sees in her eyes the woman he has loved for over two thousand years. He sees Psyche. All along they were meant to be together. Two destined lovers from different worlds. SEE? Jason was meant to be with Elizabeth. It's why things haven't worked out."

Sam reeled at the sincerity in her sister's eyes and then snapped. "That is only a book Molly. Not real life. You are just a child what do you know?"

Alexis hugged her hurt daughter and then looked at Sam before seeing the stunned shock in Spinelli's eyes as he started to protest before feeling older than her age she looked at all of them and said "I think maybe just maybe Molly is right about this. Sam, you don't love Jason anymore than Carly does. You are obsessed with winning him. Spinelli I don't know what your part in this mess is, but while life might not be a book it also isn't a video game."

Maxie grabbed Spinelli's arm before he could say a word while Sam glared angrily at everyone around him when she heard her phone ringing. Listening to Carly she felt a sense of relief at the words the woman was saying. "I know it was something like that. Maxie came to me, saying all this nonsense. You wouldn't believe it."

Carly hesitated and then said "I found your eggs that you left the other day. It wasn't that hard. I will talk to you later, relax now that the deed is done, Jason will be so happy to find out he is going to be a father he won't care about how it happened. After all he was happy about Jake."

Sam had sudden misgivings but dismissed them as echoes from the nonsense her sister had been spouting. Coming back to her surroundings she saw Alexis standing over an unconscious Kristina while Monica Quartermaine was checking on her. "What is going on?"

Taking her pulse, and then looking at her eyes, Monica grimly looked at Jeff who was calling for an ambulance and announced. "Tell them we have a drug overdose."

"No, no Monica, Kristina doesn't do drugs." said Alexis. "She is a good girl."

"Alexis, back up a bit." she said standing when the medics loaded the slight teen onto the gurney. "Let them run a tox screen but I assure you, what Kristina is going through is a drug overdose." 

Across town, Emma was playing with Brenda's son Lucifer while Sonny brooded and the two women were discussing the past few weeks. "I am surprised I didn't see you at Jason's son's memorial."

Brenda looked at Robin in surprise and said "Sonny and I were celebrating my birthday."

That shocked the doctor a bit as she said "What? Brenda, after all Jason has done for you? That makes no sense."

"Look, Jason never even mentioned he had a son, how was I to know and besides, I didn't even know Elizabeth or her son." she protested feeling a bit guilty but knowing that Sonny had been right about Jason.

Robin looked at her friend, not sure she liked what she was feeling at the moment about her selfishness then looked at her son. "He is rather quiet, how is he doing?"

"Lucifer is fine, my problem is that Sonny is acting strange about his being here." she said slightly disappointed with her husband. When he stood and said he would be right back, that he had to run out and take care of something, she was even more annoyed when he said goodbye to everyone but her son.

"I just don't get it, he raised Michael, he wasn't his biologically either." she said frustrated when the man had left. Robin kept silent her belief that Micheal's adoption was more about getting one over on AJ then about the little boy in the beginning. She was starting to have doubts about both her friends.

As she was gathering Emma up, Brenda was hanging up the phone and said a bit stunned. "That was Alexis, she is looking for Sonny. Kristina collapsed at the party and had to be rushed to the hospital to have her stomach pumped. She has been taking drugs."

"WHAT?" asked a shocked Robin as she recalled letting Kristina babysit Emma.

Calling around not locating Sonny, Brenda left Lucifer with the nanny and drove to GH. Seeing everyone standing around she heard Alexis snapping at Monica for not riding in the ambulance with her daughter as the blond arrived.

"Alexis they were doing all they could for her, my being there would have done no good." she insisted annoyed with the woman. Suddenly blinking because she thought she saw Elizabeth, she quickly left the woman and the rest of the gathered crowd.

Glad to see it was Elizabeth she approached the woman just as Steven read his phone messages. The blond was making a call when she went to try and get Elizabeth to come with her. Steven was telling his father he was at the hospital and asked what was so urgent, and then looking at his sister said yes. "Elizabeth is with me."

Jeff was carrying his sleeping grandson who was wearing his hood up on his bunny costume when the tall blond walked in with him. Jax holding the door for the man while an annoyed Carly looked on at having to wait. Arriving at the waiting room just as Jason walked out of the stairway she was about to call out for him when she felt a strangeness to the air.

The blond man had seen his daughter with two boys and his son and couldn't resist calling out to Elizabeth. Shocked to hear her father's voice, she turned and frowned a bit when she saw he was carrying something, no someone.

"Dad."

The sound of his mother's voice awoke the tired little boy and his head came off his grandfather's shoulders as the man knelt to place the wiggling little three year old on the ground.

There was silence in the room when the little boy ruthlessly shoved back the bunny ears and shouted MOMMY. Elizabeth fell to her knees, at first not believing what she was seeing as her son, her precious little boy barreled towards her shouting her name.

Gasps filled the room, all eyes now on the very happy reunion taking place near the hub. Jason stood there his heart starting to beat again as his son, his son who was ALIVE was crying all over his mother. Seeing the look on his mother's face, the joy, Jason could not believe it.

That was what Mac and Lucky walked into as they arrived to find out what was going on with Kristina Corinthos. Jake Webber asking his mommy to help him get his snowsuit off, and wanting to know where Cameron and Aidan were.

Elizabeth, her fingers fumbling as she unzipped the little boy and helped him remove the outerwear while Steven found himself wiping away his own tears. Looking at his father then down at his phone then the hundreds of message slips in his hands he said "This, this was what you were calling me about? How and where?"

"Long story but for now, let's get your sister and her son out of the public area okay?" he asked looking around as he saw a few people weren't so happy with the reunion. "Let's just say that he ended up in Russia with some help and I have been on a long trek to get him back to Elizabeth."

When they herded Elizabeth and Jake away, Steven was shocked when his father stopped Lucky from joining them. "Dad, he is Jake's father."

"No, he isn't and I will explain why he is barred in a moment. Sir, if you are Mac Scorpio, you can come in and hear what I have to say but suffice to say, Lucky Spencer is to be allowed nowhere near by grandson by order of the Attorney General of the United States of America." 

Looking around in horror, Michael saw John Zachara talking to another man, one in the shadows as he watched the chaos in the waiting room. When he heard Maxie Jones and Sam McCall shouting at one another, he moved over in time to hear Maxie making a comment about Jason not needing a replacement baby after all and Sam smug retort that it was too late, that Carly was already carrying Jason and her child.

Reeling even more he saw his father arriving and talking to Dante who had arrived, while Brenda and Olivia were arguing about something. Just as he was getting ready to run, he felt a small hand on his arm. "Michael why is everyone acting so weird."

Looking down at Morgan then at Molly who was smiling brilliantly and saying I told you so to Spinelli, he realized that he didn't know. Surely Jason's son being alive was good news. So why was only Molly Lansing happy about it?

_

Meanwhile Elizabeth gasped as she listened to what Jake was saying. She could see the shadow in the corner and knew that Jason had to have heard what her son was telling them about Carolyn. When Jake wanted to play with Cam who kept offering up half his Easter basket, Elizabeth looked at her dad and said "What didn't Jake know?"

"From what we found out this Siobhan working with someone named Franco took your son. She sent him to Ireland where he was to be adopted out. Somehow, your mother found out. She then did what Jake told you." he said his mind starting to come to terms with all they had heard.

"This woman went looking for Franco because Lucky was complaining about playing daddy to your sons now that he had separated you from Jake's father. From what I gather a deal was made with Jake's father's ex-girl friend. You, I guess were going to Italy with him, them and some woman who had interrupted Jason and you in bed together made a pact to break the two of you up."

Reading the paperwork, Elizabeth was astonished at all that was in there. "How do you know all of this?"

"This Franco, he kept detailed records about every single meeting he overheard, every single meeting his people had taped. Including that this Sam, she had him in her sights. She let him go so that your pal Morgan wouldn't go back to prison. It was one of the reasons your son Aidan was kidnapped."

Gasping, she read the next part and then walking past Mac walked to Jason and said "I want the answer to one question."

"Whatever you need." he said well aware that this time things would be different, that he would demand to spend time with his family.

"Did you really refer to my son as that baby, as that boy. What was it too hard to say Elizabeth's child, to let me know that once again my child was in danger because of your whore? Was it Jason? Was it too hard to admit that your bitch of a girlfriend, the woman you have been fucking the woman who you know wanted your son dead had caused yet another one of my children to be in danger."

"Elizabeth, I honestly have no idea about what you are talking about." he said his mind racing as he tried to recall when he would have referred to her son as that baby. Then it hit him; staggering back when she also saw it in his eyes. "I swear, it wasn't like that."

"No Jason, it never is. I want you to leave. You didn't want our son, you were quite happy to want parts from him before he was even cold. Leave Jason, get out of here and don't act like you give a damn about our son, remember he is alive and there is danger, danger everywhere for him. Yet astonishingly enough not for the child you are planning to have with the woman who hurt Jake. Get the hell out of here, Jason. Now!"

While every single word she said was hitting him like a hollow jacketed bullet, he knew that if he left, if he didn't fight now, they wouldn't have a chance at fixing the unforgivable. "NO. Damm'it, Elizabeth. You act like you have done no wrong in our relationship. Like your kissing Lucky's ass had nothing to do with this mess."

She just stared at him not believing what he was saying. Steven went to separate them and was shocked when both his father and Mac Scorpio stopped them. "You can't let this happen."

"Yes, Steven we can. Because whether we like it or not they are parents together and I think they both need to do this. Let them argue this out, it has been a long time in coming." said Monica as she looked over at the boys who were being distracted by all the toys and candy.

Jason pressed on. "You have made me feel worthless for years, everyone and anyone was more acceptable even that prick Ric Lansing. I am done with obeying what you want. Yeah, I screwed up but guess what, so did you. Now we have a second chance with our family and guess what, you aren't going to be calling the shots. We are going to work this out together."

"I will not let that bitch Sam McCall or your obsessive bitch of a best friend Carly Jacks be allowed near my children." she hissed at him.

"Fine." he said calmly. "Then I want the same assurances that Lucky isn't allowed near them either."

"He is the only father." she started to protest when he moved in closer.

"You heard what he told Siobhan, I have seen him and we both know that to Lucky those boys never mind I am not arguing with you, Elizabeth. It's simple, Carly and Sam along with Lucky or none of them." he said not bothering to tell her that they were both going to be out of his life.

"But-Fine." she said then said "He will fight this."

"No he won't because I will give Mac proof about his stealing that money when he was addicted to drugs." he told her in a deadly tone. "I am done catering to that loser Lucky Spencer and his family."

"Wait, I thought the two of you were now besties." she sneered.

"Don't go there, I was glad he was being a father to our sons, but clearly he wasn't, he was talking a good game but still being the same punk ass kid he has always been." he snapped.

"At least he was talking a game, you were too f-ing busy being a manny to half of Port Charles, to everyone else's kid but your own." she replied her feelings still smarting from seeing that. "What happened to danger, danger?"

His mouth opened but Jason was now seeing how the past few years had screwed both of them up. "I am sorry, I had no idea you were feeling this, but Elizabeth. My family has never been far from my heart."

"Really, I guess that it must shut down when you were fucking the woman who almost got our son killed repeatedly." she hissed at him.

"Kind of like yours when you were..."

Before he could finish that statement with Nik's name, Maxie Jones who had been working her way around to the second entrance called out stop. Breathlessly she tossed what she had to her father then said to Jason. "Helena has been playing games with Elizabeth. She manipulated her to being with Nik. We found proof earlier and you two really need to get along better because Aidan is still young enough that he has no idea anyone else has been playing dad to him other than his father."

"Maxie, what are you talking about?" asked Elizabeth quizzically.

"Random donor 645, was donated by Sam McCall while you were pregnant with Jake. Jason, Jason is Aidan's father. The funny thing, that was also the number used by Carly earlier when she was implanted with what I think was Sam's egg, but the blood type has changed." she said trying to catch her breath as she triumphantly held out a crumpled piece of paper in her hands.

Reading it, Elizabeth said "That is Jason and Jake's blood type."

"Yeah, now this one." she said then handed the first to Jason, then Monica before smirking at her astonished father while Jeff Webber wondered who the young blond was.

"Wait, you said Carly was implanted with Sam's egg and this number's sperm." asked Monica as she thought about something she had seen over the last few weeks. She hadn't mentioned it because she was convinced that people would think she was drinking again.

When the bobble head nodded yes, she said "Jason, I have to check something but after you are through fighting with Elizabeth, we need to talk."

Monica hugged the young nurse then told Jeff she had to go and deal with something before heading to her grandsons and kissing all three. Out the door, she called Edward and said "I need you to do something for me without anyone noticing. Is John Zachara in the room with a blond man?"

"Yes." he said being careful not to look at the mobster or the man with him. Getting what Monica wanted, he artfully stumbled against the man then after they both caught him went to see Monica who scraped under his finger nails then had the sample sent with one of her own.

After the close call, John talked to Michael who sighed then said he would see them later. The blond man hurried to talk to the expert then went looking for the blond woman. "Did you get what I told you to?"

"Yes." she said angrily then went to where her suitcases were packed. An hour later she was on the road, driving as far as she could before acknowledging that it had been a good con. The man meanwhile had found the DVD and took it back to the new headquarters for Zachara Enterprises.

"Are you sure that the other blond won't talk." he asked.

"No, not since I found her secret out." he said grimly. "Lisa split, I should have turned her in, but she had enough on me that I couldn't. I changed all the information, all she has now is that I blackmailed Abby into leaving Michael alone."

"Good, what about your father?" he asked the man. Seeing the attorney coming in he asked "Is it done."

"Corinthos is going to find out his balls have been removed at any moment." he stated then stopped at the door and asked "The other kid, what now?"

"I will tell Brenda." said the blond man hating to hurt his old friend but in truth, he knew that it was the wake-up call she needed. "What about Jax, he is the one I feel sorry for."

"I think he will be fine." said the lawyer, soon on a jet on his way out of the country while in Port Charles Monica got the preliminary results. "Oh god, what is going on?"

_ 

Jason and Elizabeth were stunned into silence at the news Maxie had imparted. "I am taking the boys home."

"I will be there in a bit. I will sleep on the sofa." said Jason. When her eyes narrowed and it was clear she was going to protest he said "No, like I said we work together."

Maxie saw her father looking at her and said "I know you want answers but honestly I have no idea why I went looking for what I did. I just knew things. Right now, I have to get Spinelli home, now that his world has been blown apart. He isn't going to take the news well that Jason is getting back with Elizabeth."

"Like hell he is getting with me." said the nurse to her amusement. Maxie looked at the woman then said "You will, you want to know why?"

Rolling her eyes as she walked away, she missed Maxie's grin as she said "It's fate, destiny, call it whatever you want, but you two are soul mates."

"Like hell we are." she said sweetly looking at Jason who saw Maxie's smirk and wondered what was going on.

"Jason, I promise I will have Spinelli moved out of your penthouse by the end of the week. Maybe talk him into going home." she said to the blond man then moving over as Elizabeth went to get the boys. "I am sorry for my part in this mess. I encouraged Sam. I ruined your penthouse for the cause."

Wincing a bit, he said "That penthouse is where I sleep, nothing more. Home is a cottage on the other side of town."

"Yeah it is, isn't it." she said wistfully.

_ 

Carly was angry, wanting to push her way in but there were two uniformed state troopers who were keeping everyone out of the room that Jason had entered. When the door opened and Mac Scorpio came out, she demanded to be allowed to see Jason.

"Mr. Morgan left by the back door fifteen minutes ago." he reported then asked where Lucky was.

"I don't know, he left." she said shrugging then said "Did Jason say where he was going?"

"No and I didn't ask." replied Mac. Looking around he saw Doctor Hunter trying to get his attention. "Kristina?"

"Will be fine, she thought she was taking diet pills, she had no idea what was really in them." he said with a sigh. "Her mother is in with her now; Corinthos went off half cocked, swearing to make someone pay."

Mac shook his head in annoyance then asked. "Where is Sam McCall?"

"She left quickly after standing at the window for what seems like forever." he replied.

Within moments the hospital waiting room had emptied out. Carly was in with her little girl when the phone rang. "I will be right there Jason."

Smiling she left and went to the penthouse. "Jason?"

"Carly, why are you here?" asked Sam coming down the stairs in an outfit she deemed sexy.

"Jason called and asked me to come over." she reported then hid her grimace at what Sam was wearing.

"He called me too and asked me to come over and spend the night, promised Spinelli wouldn't be here."

"That's strange because Stone Cold called me and told me to return quickly that he needed my help." said Spinelli entering the penthouse. "Maximista was most annoyed when I insisted on returning."

Jason walked in and saw the three of them. "Good, you are all here. Let's get one thing straight. Carly, what you did to your daughter was reason for me to end our friendship; this latest stunt is going too far."

"But Jason I am carrying your child." she said the tears starting. "You know you would never walk away..."

Jason covered her mouth with his hand and said "Enough. You don't know if the procedure took and I know one thing, whoever's kid that is, it isn't mine. Sam I know what you did, too bad so did Helena. She switched out the sperm. I have no idea, none whose kid that is, but the blood types prove it isn't mine."

"Yes it is, I looked it has the same rare blood type as Michael." said Carly

"Carly, when Michael was born he almost died because they didn't have enough blood for him. Mine wasn't a match." he said looking at her and seeing her shock. "Yeah, like I said that child you might be carrying, isn't mine. However Aidan is."

"WHAT!" Jason heard the words in stereo as all three of the shouted at him. "How is that possible?"

"Helena has been screwing with Elizabeth's mind, then she used the sperm Sam had harvested to impregnate Elizabeth."

"Why would the evil one want your genes for the bad Maternal One's latest offspring?" asked a confused Spinelli who had no idea how close Jason was to popping him in the mouth.

"She didn't know they were mine, she chose a random sample." he told the man. "I am grateful though. My sons and any future children we have will have no doubts as to who their parents are. Now, the reason I brought you all here, is this."

"Sam you can have anything you want that is still in this penthouse, I took out anything I wanted an hour ago. You and Carly can fight it over this child but I don't ever want to hear my name mentioned in conjunction with this kid. Do you understand me?"

"But Jason- we were getting married." she stuttered.

"Sam, I am not even bothering with explaining. If I felt guilty or sorry I might, but I don't and I never will. I have decided no more settling from now on I am going to live the life I want with the people I want in and you aren't it." he said bluntly.

Looking at Spinelli he said "I am selling the penthouse, you have two weeks to find a new place. And I am withdrawing my support for the agency. It's make or break time."

Turning to Carly, he said "You have said for the last nineteen years how I am your best friend. From this day forward, you need to understand, I don't want to see you, hear from you and you are to remove me as the godfather of Morgan and Josselyn. I won't demand you change his name because that little boy doesn't deserve the confusion."

"Jase, wait, what is this?" she asked shocked at what she was hearing. "How can you do this to me?"

"I am doing this for me, for my future. Carly we both know that the blood tests are going to prove that the eggs you used weren't Sam's, that they were your own. I am not a fool in spite of what you think." he said derisively.

Her mouth opening as she tried to speak he said "No, there is nothing left to say. Now if you will excuse me."

Walking to the door, he opened it and saw Sonny standing there. "Sonny."

"We have a problem, Zachara went after my family." with that he shoved the newspaper in his hands. "We have to deal with him."

Reading the article, Jason winced and then looked at his partner and said "No, you have to deal with him. This wasn't business, it was personal. I have personal business to deal with, for once deal with something on your own."

Snapping back, Sonny said "That is your job."

"No, I am your partner." he said calmly. Sonny saw the expression in Jason's eyes and was about to insist when he realized that the man wasn't going to budge. "Yeah, I think you finally get it."

Walking off, Sonny was in the elevator when Carly was suddenly shoved inside with him. "Take her with you."

"What did you do to piss him off Carly?"

"Nothing, I did nothing." she said still not sure what had happened. "What did you do?"

"Nothing, I haven't seen Jason today." he replied then went home where his wife was waiting holding the same article. "I can explain."

"No explanation necessary." she said in a dead voice. "I am moving out in the morning. For tonight so that I don't have to wake Lucifer I will sleep in the guest room."

"Oh, that is what this is about, I told you Brenda, I don't want kids." he announced. "I have several already."

"Lucifer, Lucifer isn't mine." she said her voice breaking. When he tried to offer comfort, she wretched herself out his arms and said "No, no false pity. I am taking him to his natural parents tomorrow, but you should know, it turns out the Balkan was a false identity created by someone who used what Alexander did to me to herd me home."

"What? Zachara!" he started to shout.

"No, yes, who cares." she said feeling defeated. "It doesn't matter, Sonny. Nothing matters."

Up in her room, she sat down and once again read the note. Early, the next morning, she got out of bed and went to meet whoever this mysterious man was.

_

Jason arrived at the cottage just as Robin and Patrick left. Seeing him reaching for the petite woman's hand, he saw her shake it off then suddenly reach out and grasp his with a smile at the brain doctor.  
>When they entered their home and the door shut, Jason got off his bike and went up to the front door.<p>

Letting himself in, he saw the two men trying to convince the three boys to slow down he watched as Elizabeth observed from the doorway to the kitchen. "Jason!"

Holding onto Cameron as he hugged him, Jason saw the shy blond hiding behind their mother then Jake came over and offered him the red motorcycle. "Hi."

"Hi Jake."

""Wheres were you. Daddy?"

Jason felt his throat closing at that question. Looking at Elizabeth, he saw her shrug then heard Jeff telling him that his wife had told the little boy the truth. "We have been discussing it with them when they got a little rambunctious."

Answering about his immediate past whereabouts, Jason said "I went to see Edward, my grandfather."

Shock at hearing Morgan refer to a Quartermaine as a relative, Steven suggested they get the boys cleaned up. An hour and a half later, Jason was reading to Cam the last one tucked into bed. "Jason, are you going away again?"

"No, not this time, Cam; I promise." he swore as the little boy rubbed his tired eyes and slowly fell asleep.

Elizabeth walked silently down towards the stairs only for Jason to stop her and pull her into her bedroom. "I made darn sure that I told Carly, Sam and Spinelli that I was done with their games. Have you told Lucky."

Her head down she said "I left a message for him to call but he hasn't returned one."

"Fine." with that he lead the way downstairs and looked at Steven and Elizabeth's father. "We have to run out, we will be back after talking to Lucky."

Seeing Elizabeth getting ready to protest, he said "No, we deal with this now."

Checking the apartment, then Kelly's where Siobhan had been hanging out, they went to the Haunted Star where they found Lucky whining to his father about being kept away from his newly returned son. Jason didn't say a word, just hit play and let them hear what Carolyn had been told.

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the red head trying to get to the door and stopped her. "You are going nowhere."

"Jason, let my wife go." protested Lucky who saw Elizabeth wince at the information and couldn't resist rubbing it in. "Yeah, we got married yesterday."

"Lucky, she was the one who helped Franco kidnap Jake. First Sam watched as Jake was grabbed, now Siobhan." she pointed out. "I came to tell you that Jason and I made a deal. Carly and Sam can't come near the boys and you won't be allowed to either."

"You can't do that, I am the only father those boys have ever known." he retorted.

"Lucky this isn't open to negotiation. It's settled. And the courts won't help you, not when they find out about your wife over there, nor when they find out that there are tapes, lots and lots of tapes of you admitting how Sam, Carly and you played games with us, how you used my sons."

"Now, Elizabeth..." Luke was shocked when Elizabeth turned on him and moved over to where he was standing.

"Shut up, you drunken fool. We thought you ran over and killed my son and I have never, ever heard you apologize for being drunk, let alone for killing my child. There is nothing, nothing you can say. My life has been hell on wheels thanks to your family's vendetta with Helena, well my days of fixing things, of being sorry for you are over. Stay away from my family, you too Lucky." she tossed out as she walked over to Siobhan and slugged the red head.

"You have no idea how much I am going to enjoy watching you pay for what you did to my child." she vowed.

"I did it for Lucky, why should he have had to play daddy to your mistakes." said the Irish woman.

"He chose to do it, Siobhan. HE MADE A CHOICE. Don't believe his lies, but then you already did and they are going to cost you." she said walking out. On the docks, she saw John Zachara waiting and said "What part did you play in this?"

"No, I have no beef with you, or actually with Jason. Sonny Corinthos on the other hand, I am only starting to make him pay. But I have no intention of going after him directly. I am going to sit back and watch as his world implodes all on its own. His own lies are going to destroy him."

Jason walked Elizabeth to the car, then looked over the Italian and said "I don't know what you are up to, but you will regret it if my family is hurt in this."

"Don't worry, they won't be." he said confidently. Once Jason had left, John pulled out the cell phone and said "Spencer's are inside. You know what to do." 

Chapter 3

The State Police rushed onto the boat, arresting the former Mayor and threatening to take his son down in handcuffs as well when he tried to protest. "You can't do this. This is a Port Charles Police Department case."

"Then clearly they and the Port Charles DA aren't doing their job correctly. This man committed felony hit and run. He should have been charge. I have seen the evidence, he is clearly guilty of these offenses."

"He was drunk." snarled Lucky while Siobhan tried to shut the man she loved up.

"Then that changes it to from vehicular manslaughter to felony third degree murder." snapped the trooper. "As an officer of the law, you should know that."

John watched from a distance as Luke Spencer was arrested, his worthless son following his dad and making promises the man wouldn't be able to keep. Taking out his phone, he made a call. "They have Spencer."

"Good, now lets hope she convinces the kid to run when INS shows up." promptly said the blond. Sure enough soon the tap on Alexis Davis' cell phone yielded results and the attorney said she would be right there. Once she was distracted the blond moved in and checked on the teenager, the one unintended victim in the mess.

Finding out Kristina would be fine, he breathed a sigh of relief then went to check on a different teenager who was sullenly telling John Zachara that his girl friend had fled town. "Why would she do that, I would have helped cover up her killing Brandon."

John just told Michael to move on, then suggested he go talk to a professional for his problems. "Kid, Abby can't give you the kind of help you need. I don't know what happened to you, I can guess but it is your business. Get some real help, talk to Lainey Winters or another doctor."

When he started to protest there was nothing wrong with his, John just snorted in disbelief then said "Moving on, what are you going to do about your father?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." he pouted. Sonny had cut off his trust fund, telling him that he wouldn't get a penny from him as long as he was friendly with John Zachara. "I am thinking on what you said, about the Quartermaines, and you might be right. They might be willing to pay for my schooling, or even Jax."

The Italian watched the spoiled teenager leave then looked at the blond man who had come in. "Good enough?"

"Yeah, hopefully Edward can get him to turn his life around. Jax is too staid to deal with him, he sees the Australian as boring. That is why I came to you." he stated then said "What about the other?"

"My father has been dealt with. I had been hoping he would take out Lisa, but it didn't happen." he said "I will miss her in bed, she was a handful."

"A handful that would have gotten you killed eventually." he was reminded.

John didn't tell him that he didn't expect to have a long life. He had gained too many enemies in recent years and had nothing to live for. At one time he had had dreams of a better life, of a chance at happiness but now, now he was just living to stay alive.

_ 

At the Webber residence, there was a truce between the parents of the children asleep upstairs. She gave Jason some sheets and blankets along with a couple of pillows then walked into her bedroom and shut the door.

Resting her head against it, she let her mind travel over to the incredible miracle she had received. Her son, Jake was alive. All three of her boys were safe and sound, and alive in their bedrooms once again. Vowing from then on to make sure that they were the most important people in her life, that no one and nothing came before them, she changed into her pajamas and slipped into bed and had herself a nice long cry out of joy and shock.

In the hallway, Jason sat down and listened as Elizabeth cried clearly happy tears, Jake and Cam snored and down the hall Aidan lay asleep. His head slumped down against the corner of the door as a sense of peace came over him and soon he had joined his family in the land of slumber.

_

Across town, Jeff was explaining how he had called in a favor from the head of the INS regarding Lucky Spencer to his son. "Dad, I trust what you are saying. I am just wondering how I missed what he was doing, I was here, every single day."

"Maybe you were too close to the situation and I would bet a lot of that was thinking anybody was better than Jason Morgan." he replied. Seeing Steven grimacing, Jeff said "I don't like his career choices or his friends either but truth is, he is the FATHER of those boys. I also believe that deep down, he loves your sister. I don't know the whole story, granted, but honestly Steven the only people who do know it, might be them."

"I doubt it." Steven said standing at the window. "I am beginning to think that not even they know the truth."

"Maybe not, but they are the ones who are going to be living their lives with those boys. My guess is that if things are going to change, it will be soon." Jeff looked at his son then said "I am knackered out, I am going to hit the bed in your guest room. Call me if anything earth-shattering happens."

_ 

AT the Quartermaine mansion, Monica was pacing, wondering what was going on and if what she had found out was true. Hearing a knock on her bedroom door, she was a bit surprised to see Michael standing there, looking a bit unsure of himself.

"Michael, is something wrong?" she asked then saw him enter before standing near the foot of her bed. "Would it help to talk about it."

Before she could even sit down, it all had come out. Killing Claudia and why. Prison and Carter, unable to move she stood there letting him talk. Abby and Sam and the hotel room followed by their relationship and then stuttering he told her what he had done. "I knew Luke had hit something, and thought that Mom would be sick at hitting a kid, I had no idea none about the rest of it."

"Michael, you said there was blood on Luke's car?"

"Yes, I just made sure that it had Jake's DNA, so that Mom wouldn't live her life regretting that an innocent child had died to save Jossolyn." Sighing he sat down and said "To help Abby out I was hanging around John Zachara, he kept telling me that my choices were wrong, that I was going about this the wrong way. That if I really wanted to piss off my dad, I would hang around here."

With a soft chuckle, she said "He is right about that."

"Abby ended things with me this morning, then fled town tonight, in between I learned that my mom would not have regretted hitting an innocent child, that she wished that child dead. Monica, I am tired of living my life for others. I want it to end. I uh, dad cut me off and I don't give a damn. However I won't live with Mom. Can I stay here while getting a job and going to school? I promise I will stay out of trouble."

"Michael, you are my grandson and you will always be welcome here." She sat down next to him and said "I would like to suggest you talk to someone about what happened to you. I can arrange for a doctor I know, she does a lot of work with people who have been hurt the same way you were. She was my mentor when I first moved here."

"Can I think about it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes, now there is a room set up for guests, take that tonight and tomorrow you can chose what room you want to make yours." Once he was gone, Monica thought about it then went to bed, mentally thanking her son for sending her grandson to her even if it was by way of John Zachara.

_ 

Maxie was sitting up all night telling her father what she had learned, how she had found out about certain things and even her own part in it. Looking him in the eyes, she said "I don't know why I wanted to fix things, but it felt like Georgie was there, guiding me along."

Hugging the tumultuous blond, he said "You did good, your sister would have been very proud of you today."

"I miss her." she said wiping the hot tears that wanted to fall. "Every single day of my life, since she died I have missed her."

"Me too." he said softly. "Me too. We have a lot to deal with tomorrow, including my having to explain why Luke Spencer wasn't in jail. I have spent too much time letting life pass me by. I AM DONE, from here on out. It is time to honor Georgie, by living not by marking days on a calender."

_ 

At the penthouse, Sam was lying in her bed, tossing and turning her mind on all that had happened that day. On the day she had made the deal with Carly and Lucky. She had spent the last few years believing that she had won, that Jason was hers. All of it had come down crashing in one day.

The little boy who shouldn't even be alive was, his brother was also Jason's. Elizabeth Webber who shouldn't have been allowed one child had three, two of them by the man that Sam loved. Unable to keep her mind empty long enough to sleep, she changed and went to soak in her hot tub.

Once in it, she saw the pamphlet she had gotten about the surgery and felt the tears start to fall. No Jason, no baby, even the one that Carly was carrying was not going to be hers. She had seen the look in the blond's eyes and she had known that Carly had planned to screw her over all along. It just wasn't fair!

Soaking was doing her no good, so getting dressed, she went to get a bottle of wine. Seeing the book on the table surprised her, she didn't have books at her house, why would she, she didn't like to read. Reading the note on it, she crumpled it up and was about to toss the book into her hot tub when something told her to read it.

Grimacing at how hard it was to read, how some of the words had had to be looked up, Sam was half way through it when the dawn came. Locking her door, she took the book into her bedroom and by the time it was nine AM she had finished it.

Proud of herself for getting through the 180 page book in only eight hours, Sam still felt sick at the storyline. She almost could see herself as the angry jealous goddess who in the end was tossed out of home of the gods and forced to live among mortals when Cupid and his true love were united.

Instead of getting up, the tears came and Sam laid there, bawling herself to sleep as she got that she was not going to get a happy ending, that her dream life had no intention of coming true.

_

Alexis listened to the Captain then went looking for Luke who was talking to Lucky, Dante and Lulu who had shown up after Lucky had called them. "No dice and I hate to say it but the man is right. Luke can be charged with felony hit and run. Why didn't you all charge him then let him plead to a lessor offense?"

"We can still do that, the case is still an open investigation." said Dante only for a laughing John Zachara who walked in to snort ya right.

"Why are you here Johnny?" asked Lulu hoping he could help her father.

"I was the one who reported the lapse of the PCPD and its detectives who should have stepped back from the case when they compiled the list of suspects. Then there is your boy there, he let Sam McCall be a part of the investigation when she was a suspect. No matter, now you not only have to explain this to the State Troopers but you have to deal with more than likely being fired. Couldn't happen to more deserving losers."

"How dare you? After what happened between my mother and you?" asked Dante still shocked as the truth about the damage done to his career started to sit in. Looking at Lulu he listened as she begged John to reconsider what he was doing.

"Dante, your mother and I were fun, but in the end we both moved on. This, this was about a deal I made. In exchange for making their lives miserable I get something I have wanted for a very long time. Your father in the gutters were he started out."

Walking away, John turned and seeing Lulu's pout and the start of her tears, he blew her a kiss then with another laugh walked out the door. Alexis stared at the now empty doorway, her mind on what had been said. "Lucky go home, there is nothing you can do for Luke. Dante take Lulu out of here, all she is doing is pissing off the Captain."

Conceding defeat Alexis called Diane only to hear a message on her machine announcing that she was on a trip with Max and would be back before May 14th. Calling Sonny, she was told that the mobster had nothing he could do for the man. "Sonny, Luke has always stood by you."

"Alexis, I have more important things to worry about than Luke Spencer. He will more than likely end up in some drunk tank, getting dried out, at most sent to rehab."

Going back to where the man was handcuffed, she gave him the bad news and Luke took it stoically then said "Alexis, I didn't want to say this with my children here, but let it go. I know that there is nothing you can do. Besides, it's not like I ain't guilty. I did hit Jake, yeah, he made it but I still drove away. I may not have been drunk but thems the breaks."

It was the middle of the night when Elizabeth woke up in her bed as something hit her. If it wasn't Jake who died, who was it? Suddenly realizing that she had turned the breathing machine off on another woman's son, she sat there, unable to sleep at what a horrible thing she might have done.

_

The attorney left the jail as the morning shift came in, went home to shower and change before heading back to the hospital where she saw Jax sitting outside of his daughter's hospital room, looking defeated. "Jax, what is it?"

Hearing all about Carly and the baby that may or may not be her grandchild, Alexis groaned in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Oh yeah." he said then standing said "Carly hasn't been back here since learning that it wasn't Jake who saved our daughter."

Peaking into the hospital room, Alexis saw a blond and said "Who is that?"

"Maxie Jones, she showed up here about ten minutes ago. Said that she couldn't get what had happened to Jossalyn out of her mind." he said exhausted. "The girl really isn't that bad, is she?"

"Maxie is unique." Alexis said carefully as she saw the toddler waking up and the blond inside speaking to her then gesturing towards Jax. When her friend had entered the hospital room, Alexis walked down to check on her own daughter.

"Mom, they said I get to go home today, right?" she asked eagerly. "I have to get out of here, I mean how could I have been so dumb as to accept diet pills from crazy Doctor Niles."

"We will be talking about this a bit later." she told her daughter then said "Molly spent the night with Morgan at Bobbie Jones' place. I am going to pick her up then come back to get you, will you be okay until I return?"

"Yeah, Maxie Jones brought me a book. The one that Molly was talking about, I wanted to read it. Find out what she was talking about." With that the thin girl lifted the book and started to read, finding herself engrossed in the tale and picturing various residents of Port Charles as the characters inside.

"Interesting book?" asked the mobster in the doorway when he saw she was almost done with it. Kristina closed the book he said "I came to say I am sorry, I had no idea what Lisa was up to or I would have put a stop to it."

"I know that. I know that in spite of the war between my dad and you, you are one of the good guys, Johnny." she said then added. "And yeah, good book. You remind me of a character inside."

"Which one?" he asked lifting the book and reading the blurb on the back.

"Hades, god of the Underworld." she said with a smile.

"What happens to him in the book? Because from the way it is bent, it is clear you read the ending before going to the beginning."

"He is a god who in the end finds a half mortal to love. Persephone, she is supposedly why we have seasons. She lives half her life with the man she loves as goddess of the dead and the other half with her mother, making things grow." Kristina found herself looking forward to finding the book with just the Hades and Persephone story in it.

"Are they happy?" he asked well aware that for him, there was no happy ending.

"Yes, of course, it is a romance novel silly." she said with a sigh. "Have you ever loved anyone enough to think about bringing them into your world. Loved someone at first sight?"

"No, came close once. When I lost her thanks to hiding who I was, I tried to move on but soon realized it was only wanderlust and good old fashion sex I was finding." he said honestly.

"Olivia?" she asked curious about his relationship with her brother's mother.

"Not hardly, and not Lulu either. It was a long time ago and she never knew. Now get back to your book, don't you want to know how they got that happy ending already?" Walking to the doorway, he looked back at the younger girl and hoped she found what she was looking for since it wouldn't be with his ex-partner Ethan Lovett.

Ethan had died at the hands of Helena Cassadine, it was why John had arranged for her death. She was gone and at some point, someone might go looking but he really doubted anyone would care why she had died. Up on the roof of the hospital he heard someone crying and was a bit surprised to see Brenda Barrett, Sonny Corinthos new wife was wiping away the tears.

Taking out his handkerchief, he handed it to her and said "I will leave you alone."

"No, wait." the ex model said "I was looking for you. There is someone you need to met."

"Okay." he said then followed her into a room where there was a little boy. "This is your son, Lucifer, right?"

His partner had told him that he was going to arrange for Brenda to learn the truth and clearly she had but why was she telling him about it.

"This, this isn't my son. I was lied to by Susanne. His name is Lucifer. I think you might be his father."

That did it, John looked at her in shock then at the little boy. "How would that be possible?"

"I don't know but I asked a friend to do a DNA test after receiving a note about it, it came back with you as his father." John looked at t he little boy and saw the eyes, the soft brown doe eyes that reminded him of the woman he had once loved. He would deny it until he died, but she had been the one, now it was too late. She was long gone and he had no way of tracking her down.

"Brenda, I don't know how did you come to this conclusion, I mean why me?" he asked doubtfully even as he vowed to make the blond tell him the secrets he had been hiding. The little boy was looking at him, just sitting there staring as if assessing him.

"John, there is more, I finally got him to talk. He said that the strange lady told him his name was Lucifer but he keeps insisting his mommy called him Andrew."

The brown eyes lit up at that name and John sat down across from him and said "If he is mine, which I have serious doubts he wouldn't be that old. Maybe three and a half."

"I's three." he said holding up fingers. "Mean man took me away. I want my mommy."

John stared and then closing his eyes hugged the toddler who grinned at the man. "I want my Mommy."

"Me too, kid." he replied. Looking at Brenda, he saw her pain and said "I am sorry, I know that you thought he was yours."

"It's fine. I am just glad he is going to be happy, he will be happy won't he?" she asked showing how vulnerable she really was. "I made a few mistakes since I came back, my belief that Sonny was my one true love was just one of them. I also hurt someone I care about deeply recently. I just need to know, you won't let him become a victim of this war between Sonny and you."

Looking at his son, John let his anger go, then looked at her and said "It's over. I can't let hatred rule my life. I won't. Not anymore."

Walking away, Brenda was going to stop and see Jax, tell him the news she had found out and went to knock on his daughters' door when she saw no one inside. Stopping a nurse she asked if the patient had gone home. "No, she is with her father and the Jones girl in the solarium."

Stopping at the entrance, she watched as Maxie Jones and Jax played tea party with the healing little girl and gave a soft smile when Maxie suggested giving some tea to the dolly sitting next to her. The blond girl looked at the older girl as if to say are you nuts and they were soon laughing.

She walked away, well aware that Jax had enough to deal with, he didn't need to know that her still missing little boy was alive, still out there living with his adoptive parents. She would track him down, letting Carly implode her marriage, then she would come back and claim the man she should have been with all along.

_

Carly woke up, her hand on her stomach, hoping against hope for a miracle. Showering and dressing, she hurried to the hospital needing to prove that Jake wasn't really Jake. Stopping at the front desk, she asked to speak to Monica Quartermaine, only to be told the woman had taken the day off, asking for Patrick Drake she was told he was in surgery.

Steaming, she walked towards her daughters' room. Not find her in there, she stopped the next nurse walking down the hallway and was told that Jax and she were in the solarium. Not happy but knowing she had to avoid Jax at least for now.

Leaving, she drove out to see Sonny, maybe he could get Jason to come out to there, so they could talk to him. Get him to realize what he was doing wrong. Entering the house, she was a bit surprised how quiet it was. "Sonny, have you talked to Jason today?"

"No and I don't expect to. He is with his son, the child he had thought was DEAD, Carly. Let him be, he is happy, he is with his family. If you want to keep him in your life, you need to take a step back, let him have this time." he tried to get her to see that he was right.

"Sonny, if he isn't brought back, we are going to lose him. He won't be there for us." she said trying to get him to see reason.

"Wrong Carly, he already won't be there for us. He made that damn clear. He is gone, I saw it in his eyes, we were lucky to have him in our lives as long as we did. Don't you get it, Carly. He is not coming back, he is not going to be your lap dog. He meant what he said, Carly. He is done."

"No, Sonny it is all HER, IT IS ALL HER FAULT. CAN'T YOU SEE THAT, SHE DOES THIS TO HIM, TURNS HIM AGAINST THOSE WHO TRULY CARE FOR HIM." she shrieked. Sonny went to the bar and poured a glass of water then threw it in her face to calm her down.

"Are you done?" he asked icily. "Carly, it is over. It is all over. I am moving to the Island at the end of the month. I am done. I left a message with Zachara's people, it's over."

"Now that bitch your married has you changing, why can't you see that these women aren't right for you, that they don't love you like I do?" she said pleading with him.

"Brenda and I are done. She wants a family, I already have one, she is leaving me. I can't say I blame her. Here, did you see the paper? Its over, my marriage is over." Defeated, Sonny walked to the door and opened it. "It's time for you to go, Carly. I will be telling the children this week. Hopefully they can come to see me this summer. Michael and Dante are old enough to make their own decisions. Kristina and Morgan, well we will figure something out."

"You aren't Morgan's father, remember?" she hissed. "Jax adopted him."

Walking away, Sonny went out the french doors and looked around his property. Seeing John Zachara standing on the edge of his property, he said "I am done."

"Me too." said the younger man then hesitating added "Lucifer, the boy that Suzanne said was Brenda's, he is my son. His name, it's Andrew. I won't raise my son the way my father raised me."

Sonny walked away then turned and said "I don't regret that your sister died, but I do regret that I let your father push me into marrying her. I regret sleeping with her that night all those months ago. Who knows maybe things would be different."

"Corinthos?" he called out then moved onto the property. "You can't come back."

"I know and I won't be coming back. I am done." he said with a sigh. Walking away, Sonny couldn't help wondering who had helped him. Who had been behind him taking everything away from him. They had left him his businesses on the island and nothing else.

Jason would be fine, he had all of his money, all his power, if he wanted it. He had been told that as long as Sonny left, they would let him him live. That Jake had been returned at the exact same time had Sonny convinced that whoever had done it had very long fingers in a whole lot of pies.

Now he had lost his wife, all he had left were his children. Making a call, he then went to track down Dante, he had decided to deal with the eldest of his children first. When his son opened the door, Sonny pushed his way in and saw the mess. "Is everything okay?"

"Lulu and I ended last night. I am in serious trouble at my job as a result of trying to help Luke Spencer and she is angry with me because there is nothing I can do to help him anymore." he replied. Wiping his face, he said "She walked away. I am done. I have lost myself since I came to this town, since I found out you were my father."

"So this is my fault." he said annoyed with the boy.

"No, its my fault. I should have walked away when I had the chance. I am done. You might be my biological father but I barely know you, you shot me for god's sake. That alone should have been a warning to me. I have gone to the FBI, offered to go to work with the counter terrorism department. I am telling my mother today. As for you, my father. Well I am done. I will stay in contact with the kids but you, you will cease to exist for me."

Sonny walked to the door, then left. He knew Dante would be back, he was his father. Heading to Carly's, he knocked on the door and then went to Alexis when there was no answer. Alexis had brought Kristina home and he was soon talking to her as she lie on the sofa. "So you are moving. When?"

"The end of the week. I want you to come and visit this summer." he said.

Kristina didn't offer any promises, then when he left, she quickly called Michael who told her where he was staying. "Does Dad know?"

"No, I haven't even told my mother, yet. I am at the hospital, I am going to do so when I see her." he told her while walking down the hall. Seeing Jax with Maxie Jones, Michael asked about his sister then was told that his mother hadn't been around.

"I uh, Jax I am back staying at the Quartermaine house. Just tell my mother to call me, I know you don't want to be in the middle of it." Michael had heard what his mother had done, the damage she had done to his sister and he didn't know what to say to the man, when really there was nothing he could.

_ 

At the Webber household, things were quiet, the boys were playing with Jason, getting to know the large man who seemed just grateful to be there with them. He was letting them do all the talking, answering their questions.

Yet Jake wouldn't let his mother out of his sight. He kept a close eye on Elizabeth as she cleaned things up around the house. Elizabeth could feel more than Jake's eyes on her, Jason was keeping a close eye on her too.

Lunchtime came and went, the entire family eating grilled cheese with soup. Jason wasn't thrilled with the soup but with the boys watching he had no choice but to eat it. "We uh, I told my father we could discuss what comes next this afternoon. Your mom is coming too."

Nodding, he went outside and made a few calls. Grimacing at the news Sonny imparted, he knew that this wouldn't last long. There was no way Sonny would really walk away from power and he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with the man when he came and demanded his power back.

Looking at his phone, he was shocked to see no calls from Carly, nor Sam or Spinelli. Maybe they had gotten the message this time. Thinking on his discussion with Edward the night before, Jason thought about what his grandfather had said when he had asked him for a small favor.

"Jason?" Turning he saw Elizabeth standing in the doorway. "Do you need to run out?"

"No, I am staying here. I just am worried since we didn't hear from any one yet. It has all been rather easy so far. We both know that the people in our lives won't walk away this easily." he said grimly.

He had no idea that they were all rather busy dealing with the sudden mess that their own lives had become. Lucky Spencer had planned to talk to Alexis about getting custody of the boys, but now, now he was dealing with the INS regarding his marriage to Siobhan. His job was gone, Mac had been ordered to fire him by the Mayor saying this was one mess too many.

"Lucky, I am sorry." said the red head as she wiped her tears. "They, they are deporting me. I have no choice but to leave."

Lucky looked around his apartment, then thought about it. Did he want to bother with the boys, did he want to deal with the day in day out of being a parent or did he want the life of adventure he would find if he went to Ireland with the woman who fit him.

Calling Alexis he said "Don't bother, we are moving to Ireland."

Two hours later, Lucky had packed everything important to him, then place two calls. One to Lulu to let her know he wouldn't be back. The other to Nik before they quickly left town. Arriving at the airport, he made yet another call then got on the jet.

Within minutes of their take off, the men on the ground made a call. "Thanks for the information."

Calling the head of security at Dublin International Airport, they passed on the news. "Ronan O'Rielly and his wife are coming in today. He is using the name Lucky Spencer. He stole the name of the undercover detective who was sent to take him down."

Hanging up, John smirked and said "That should keep him occupied for a few months."

_

Carly was tired, she had been trying to track down Jason, she had tried every place she could think of. He wasn't at the penthouse, he wasn't at Sam's. He wasn't at the warehouse, nor was his truck at Elizabeth's house. She had even checked the Hardy house and the Quartermaine mansion.

Stopping back at the hospital, her daughter was fast asleep while Jax was working on something. "I want to spend some time with my daughter."

"Fine." he said then walked to hallway. Calling Alexis, he wasn't happy to know that his divorce was coming at a very slow pace. "Can you use what she did to our daughter? I just want to be free."

Alexis hesitated then said "There is some bad news. I hate to tell you, but I have looked at this from all sides. There is no way you will get custody of Michael, Morgan however is safe"

Swearing silently he said "Alexis, she will ruin that boy, destroy him if we can't stop her. Sonny is gone, he is fleeing to his Island."

"I know, he stopped to tell Kristina. I am sorry Jax, but unfortunately there is nothing I can do." Hanging up, Alexis was feeling like a failure. Checking on Kristina and Molly who were working on their school work, she was a bit surprised when Molly asked how Sam was now that she had lost Jason. Has she come to accept that she had to find someone new to love?

Alexis didn't tell her daughter that she doubted that Sam had done anything of the sort but she knew she had better go check on her eldest child. That afternoon she drove over to Sam's penthouse and let herself in with the key that her daughter had given her.

Entering the bedroom, she saw her daughter lying in bed, looking like her world had ended. "Sam, what are you doing?"

Looking at her mother, she said "My life has ended, what do you think I am doing? I am giving up. I have lied, cheated, even stole to keep Jason in my life and she doesn't go away, she just won't go away."

"Sam, you should know that there was nothing you could have done. Some people were just meant to be together. Jason and Elizabeth are one of those couples. I tried to warn you but you didn't want to hear it. Sam, move on, find someone who will love you for who you are."

"Jason, he did that, he loved me for me." she cried out in despair.

"No, he let you be because it was too much of a bother to help you improve yourself. He wants more from life and you can't give him what he wants."

"I could, if he would only give me a chance. Maybe if I had a baby, if I could have one. He would love me." she said her mind searching for other ways to get Jason back.

"Sam, you could have a dozen babies and you still wouldn't be able to give Jason what Elizabeth can. You need to face it. I should have stepped in years ago. I didn't and I will always regret that."

Sam got up, stormed to her bathroom and then opened the door back up. "Get out of my penthouse. I will get him back, I won't lose him, especially not to her."

Alexis just left the building, knowing that Sam was going to hit rock bottom and there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. 

Jeff knocked on Elizabeth's door and was amused when Cameron opened it from where he was hanging off Jason's shoulders. "Hi grandpa. Grandma Monica and Mr. Ed are in the kitchen with Mommy."

Jason tumbled Cam to the sofa then watched as he rushed off to play with his brothers. In the kitchen, Jeff sat down then said "Your brother went to the hospital but he already let me know where he stands. What do you think of my staying in town?"

"Dad, I have no opinion at all. I would like you to stay but I am well aware that you have a hard time sticking around and parenting your children." she replied.

Jeff swallowed hard then said "I can never make up for my past mistakes, but I do want you to know, I have always, always loved you."

"I believe that, but dad, part of the reason I am so screwed up as an adult is you weren't there. You weren't there at some of the worst times in my life. The Spencer family was, that is why I always feel so obligated to them. I love grams but she was always pushing the Spencer agenda, especially after I became friends with Jason. Looking back, I have never been able to make up my mind on things without input from them. If you stay, I want you to understand that I will not let you try to tell me what to do with my life."

"Agreed." he replied. "I should tell you, Carolyn was charged with kidnapping. She agreed to plead guilty and instead of jail time to spend two years helping out farmers in one of the more distant regions of Russia."

"I can live with that." said Elizabeth then looked at Jason. "What about you, are you okay with that?"

Jason sat back, thinking about it then said "Yes, however if she ever approaches our children, I will make sure that she spends the rest of her natural life in jail. No second chance. I won't risk my family for anyone."

"I will let Sergei know." said Jeff then looking at Monica and Edward he asked. "Can I ask what is going to happen between the two of you?"

"We haven't really discussed it." said Elizabeth. Then looking at Jason said "We have two children together."

"Three." he said firmly then seeing her glare, he returned it with one of his own. "We will need to talk about it, but I want to adopt Cameron, I don't want him to ever feel like he is a lessor member of the family."

Her jaw snapped closed, then Elizabeth glared at him knowing that he seemed to think that just because the boys were all under the same roof as them that they were just going to work things out.

"I want to make a suggestion." said Edward, thinking on what Jason had asked him and knowing that it was the best way of putting the idea out there. "Have you considered having family therapy. Maybe marriage counseling. Elizabeth, before you dismiss this idea, really think things through. Eventually the two of you are going to end up together, no matter the denials. Things are too intimate between the two of you for this to end any other way. So for the sake of your family, both of you figure out why the heck you do things the screwed up way that the both of you do. Jason, I am including you in this."

The twosome glared at one another than the old man before snapping out an agreement. "Just not Lainey. Maybe Rae will come to town to work with the two of you."

"Elizabeth, since they are here, I would like us to go someplace and talk for a while." suggested Jason.

Checking on the boys, Elizabeth let them know that Jason and she were running out for a bit but that their new grandparents would be there with them. Jake looked a bit anxious but then Cam said "Okay Mommy, we can show grandpa our motorcycles."

Taking out her phone, she handed it to Jake and said "I have your daddy's number programmed in, if you get scared, you can call us, okay?"

Nodding, he sat down and showed off his red toy while his parents went to the shed where Jason's bike was. "I put it here so that no one would know I was here until we wanted them to."

"I will met you there, I don't want to be that close to you." she said coldly then followed him out onto the road. Arriving at the safe house, Jason unlocked the door then stood back so she could enter before him.

Looking around the dusty room she couldn't resist taunting him. "Well at least it looks like you never brought your whore here."

"Do you think we can lay off on the name calling. Sam was a mistake, Elizabeth and I can apologize until I am blue in the face but you won't let it go."

Turning she looked at him then said "You have that one right, Jason. If it had been anyone but her, maybe I wouldn't have been thrilled but I wouldn't have hated for you for it. That woman hurt our children, you know that and you still told her you loved her. How on earth is that possible, Jason. Tell me how I am supposed to get past that?"

"I don't know." he admitted. "She was just there, that is all there is to it. I figured, hey, she gets my life, why not."

"Why not? Are you asking me why not. Where do I start Jason. What the hell is wrong with you that you don't get fucking the woman who wanted your son dead is wrong?"

Banging his head against his hand, he looked at her and said "I didn't mean it that way. I honestly didn't. I had a history with Sam and from what I saw you were back with Lucky. I just wanted to make the pain go away and she was easy and I didn't have to do anything. She did it all. Besides, I think part of me wanted you to hurt."

"You are a complete bastard, you know that." she hissed at him. "Forget me, what about your son? Someday how are you going to look him in the eyes and explain what you did. We all know secrets don't stay hidden in this town. At some point someone is going to tell him, to hurt us, to hurt him."

Walking to the kitchen, Jason couldn't look at her as he said "Sam was with Lucky, but you didn't seem to care yet I am being held to a higher standard."

"Yeah, you are. Because Jason I have always thought you were the better man, are you telling me that you have the morals of Lucky Spencer?" she sneered. "I was wrong to let Lucky and her near the boys, I will have to face that one day with our sons, but they are two totally different situations and you know it."

Swallowing he said "I get that to you they are, but dammit, Lucky was a danger too. He hid drugs in Cam's toy box, he shot off his gun with Cam in the house. He almost caused you to miscarry twice. Elizabeth, we both have screwed up. I didn't sleep with Sam until we were in Mexico and I was drugged up. After that is was like, well you already messed this up, why bother with changing what you are doing."

"Jason... why didn't you warn me about Franco, about the Balkan. You left us wide open." she said. "You protected Sam, you protected Carly. If you loved us, where was our warnings, our protection. We didn't have any. I have read chapter and verse in his notes, and yet, it was like you seemed to not give a damn. Then when you became Josslyn's godfather, it was the last straw for me. At that point, I truly gave up on you."

"I know and I can understand why that would hurt you. Yet, Elizabeth, you were pregnant with another man's child, at least that was what was known. I had to let go because after hearing from Lucky how you two were getting remarried, it was soul destroying."

Sitting down, she looked at him then said "I had no choice but to say yes. Lucky manipulated the situation and honestly Nik, before I found out about Helena. I wondered if I was subconsciously trying to end things with Lucky."

"I can get that." he said his mind on how many times he would see Elizabeth, then find the most degrading way of screwing Sam. It was pretty much the same principal. "We have to talk. Do you want to stay at your house or find a bigger place?"

Elizabeth gave a sigh then said "Grams called me while you were showering this morning. Offered me her house. Said she would sign it over to me. That she had already discussed it with Uncle Tom and my father as well as Sarah and Steven. She said she had always intended to leave it to me in her will."

Standing she walked over to the window and then looked at him. "Its larger and I know from when Johnny and Francis were guarding me that it is a lot safer than my cottage."

"Yes, they both used to say that nothing short of a large bore gun was going to get past that stone. We would have to bullet proof the windows. How do you think she will take that?" he asked.

"I told her you would be with us, she said that she was an old woman who was attempting to learn new tricks. That one of them was to be less judgmental of people." Jason took out his phone then made a few calls before putting it away. "What about the inside, is there anything you want to change."

"Some wall colors." she replied. Jason saw her biting her lip then she hesitated before saying. "JASON, the money you gave me. I don't now how to tell you."

"I know, Bernie warned me that you were in over your head with your investment. I replaced the funds and was trying to find a way to tell you when we were told that Jake was hit." he said. "You do know that your brother was led into that by Nik don't you?"

"I saw something in the paperwork that that Franco man had. It bothers me that he had so much on us, that he had our son, both of our sons." she said looking at him. "It bothers me that he is still alive."

"I will do my best to protect our family. I promise you." he said then asked if they were ready to return home.

_

At the Jacks house, Carly stared at Michael and asked him to repeat what he had just said. "I am going to be living with Monica. I am also going to be working at the hospital as an orderly. I will make arrangements to visit with Morgan when you aren't around because I have nothing to say to you, or to dad."

"Fine." she said thinking that Michael being at the Quartermaines would give her more access to Jason.

Maxie knocked then saw the door was open. Finding Spinelli sitting on the sofa, hugging his computer, she said "I think we need to talk. Spinelli, this isn't healthy. You have got to let Jason go."

Crying the geek, ignored what his non-wife was saying until the most beauticious one entered. "Spinelli I would like to hire you."

Maxie glared at Brenda then dragged the former model into the hallway. "I am trying to get him to leave town, whatever you want, hire a real detective."

Brenda said "I need a computer expert so that I can find my real son."

"Your real son?" she parroted. "What about that kid I saw you with?"

"He wasn't my son." she replied. "Suzanne kidnapped him to pass him off as my child so she could steal him. I want Spinelli to track her down."

John was at the doorway of his penthouse, looking around then at the scared little boy, he said "I promise, we will find your mommy."

Holding his son, he asked if he wanted to get something to eat? When the answer was Kelly's, he blinked a bit surprised at the answer. "Okay, Kelly's it is."

Arriving at the diner he saw the police commissioner and grimaced a bit until Mac came over and said "Brenda Barrett called me and passed on the news. I understand there is a name change as well."

The little boy grinned at the nice man then said "My name is Andrew Malcolm Smith."

Gasping a bit, Johnny looked at his son then at the older man. "Smith, I know it is grasping at air, but can you run that name?"

Mac called it in then looked at the little boy and thought about his name. "My name is Malcolm too. I get called Mac for short, does your mommy call you by any nicknames?"

"Daddy, whats a nickname?" he asked the man he had been told was his father. The waitress arrived with a tray laden with food and soon they couldn't get anymore out of him. John looked at the older man and couldn't resist asking why he was suddenly so interested.

"Its just the coincidence of the names. Andrew is the name of Maxie's biological father, then there is the Malcolm. I know that it more than likely means nothing but it shocked me a bit."

"Good god, are there more Maxie's out there wandering this world?" he asked appalled. Mac glared at the Italian then looked at the little boy and shook his head. He was seeing things that weren't there since Jake Morgan's return and if he kept this up he was going to get his heart broken because there was no way that his little girl was alive and hadn't contacted them.

Leaving he went to the station and was soon immersed in work. Getting told that there was no missing person's report for the little boy, he went back to dealing with the various members of Port Charles criminal class.

Chapter 4 

Johnny was helping Andrew get ready for bed, grateful that Brenda had sent over the clothes she had purchased for the little boy even as he was making plans to get items like jeans, sneakers and maybe a couple pairs of boots for the kid.

Hearing a knock, he turned as a man entered and said "Sir, there is a Doctor Quartermaine outside wishing to speak to you."

Frowning a bit, he said "Tell her I will be with her as soon as I get my son asleep."

Monica was a bit surprised at the news John Zachara had a son but sat down and waited for the young mobster. When he entered, the sleeves rolled up on his shirt, his hair slightly messy, she couldn't help smiling at the picture he made. That however reminded her why she was here and she quickly said. "Thank you for what you did for Michael. I intend to have a discussion with my son on this idea of a hooker being a solution to rape."

John winced then looked at her. "Morgan might not know that the kid was raped, Michael has been very careful not to say exactly what happened but I do agree, Abby was not the way to solve the kid's problems. Though, I am betting that the idea came from Ms McCall and we all know that she thinks every single problem can be solved with bad sex."

"One more thing, then I will give you your privacy. The blond man with you, tell him that he is not hiding very well and I will find him. That a mother always knows." she warned him as she stood and headed towards the door, stopping at what John had to say.

"He left, he came when he heard about his son, he blames himself. Said his bad choices were what led to what happened. That if he had the patience he does now, Michael wouldn't have ended up with Carly and Sonny." John told her. "I want a few moments with him myself, he was the one who told Brenda that the child she believed was hers was in fact my son."

"The little boy she introduced me to at GH, Lucifer, I think his name was." she explained. "He is really your son?"

"Yes and his name isn't Lucifer, I am still not sure why Suzanne stuck that label on him, his name is Andrew. Andrew Malcolm Smith." he said still thinking on how that could be used to find his son's mother.

Monica told him good night and wished him well, saying that being a parent was difficult but that being a single parent was twice the work. Outside, the name hit her and wondering about Maxie, she went to have a talk with her son, hopefully now that the boys would be in bed he could offer up an explanation for his mess up with Michael and this hooker named Abby.

At the Webber house, she knocked on the door and was quickly let in by her son. "Where is Elizabeth?"

"Steven called and she went to talk to him. She should be back soon however." he said before adding. "I think it was about Lisa Niles and the mess with Patrick and Robin. The woman is missing."

"Hopefully for good. We need to talk." she said sitting down and looking at him. "I have reason to believe that AJ is alive."

Stiffening, Jason couldn't look her in the eyes, his mind on the apology that he owed his brother, the way he had completely ruined Micheal's life and how he had believed he had known better than anyone else what was right for that little boy. "What do you know?"

"A man was here at the hospital. The way he moved reminded me of your brother, I saw him talking to John Zachara but I had my suspicions way before that. Plus, I think he is the biological father of Carly's child."

"Me too, I just thought that he had stored some DNA before he went missing." Jason admitted.

"Tell me you aren't still thinking Carly is a better parent than AJ, for gods sake she had her daughter cut open, given a transplant all to have a closer connection than she already does to you." she scolded.

"No, I don't think that. I just am not sure that his being a fugitive will help. I will talk to Mac Scorpio tomorrow, see what we can do to resolve these issues, for Michael as well."

"We need to discuss Michael, he has moved into the mansion. He told me what happened with this Carter while in prison. I am getting him some help but I want you to look me in the eye and tell me how the heck his being involved with a hooker was a way to solve his problems when he was dealing with being raped? What the hell was that Jason?" she asked and her eyes widened when she saw Elizabeth in the doorway listening to the conversation.

She gave a chuckle, closed the door and said "My guess, Sam came up with that idea. Its the same asinine idea as her telling Emily that the way to get over being raped by a man who looks just like her husband was to just get over it and screw Nik."

When she saw Monica's disgust she said "Yeah, a hooker for a rape victim, that sounds like Sammy."

Jason flushed and said "She wasn't a hooker, she was an escort. And I said no, Sam did it anyhow."

"You really are an idiot when she is around, aren't you." Scorned Elizabeth. "Jason they both take money for sex, but since Sammy did that too, I am sure you were completely okay with what she did after the fact. Its how both Carly and she get around you. They go ahead and screw things up worse, and you just say my bad, I should have stopped you but I guess it turned out okay."

Monica stepped back getting the feeling she had walked into something that smelt worse than even she had expected.

Flushing Jason said "I didn't like it, but Michael was happy."

"Happy? Jason he was raped." Elizabeth said. "Would you think that was a good solution for Emily. For her to go sleep with a male prostitute. No, you wouldn't and actually when it comes to a man being raped, it is an even worse solution. The damage this has to have done to Michael seriously, I am surprised that Carly didn't kill Sam when she found out."

"Uh, she doesn't know that it was Sam that introduced Michael to Abby." he mumbled. "And she couldn't stand Abby."

"For once I am going to say good, good for Carly. At least someone was thinking things through. Jason, that was the stupidest, lame-brained decision you have made in recent times and given your recent history that is saying a lot." she said shaking her head. Looking at him, she said "I am angry on Micheal's behalf and can't wait until I see Carly. I actually think I am going to tell her this one. Damn, Jason and you were thinking of having a kid with this woman?"

Walking to the stairs, she told Monica good night then walked up the stairs. The doctor looked at her son and said "There is nothing I could say that she didn't say better. Jason, she is right, what on earth were you thinking?"

In her room, changing for the night, Elizabeth looked at her phone, then thought about it. Did she want to be like Sam or Carly then decided, in this case, she was doing what was right. Carly deserved to know the truth. Making the call, she waited until the blond stopped ranting and said "Carly, shut up. Look, I just heard something I thought as a mother you deserved to know. I know about Abby and her relationship with your son, do you know how they met?"

"Sam introduced them, she was undercover in the strip club and they met." she informed Elizabeth. "I gather Michael decided he liked her."

"Wrong Carly. Sam hired her, she was a hooker named Candy at the time. Arranged for them to meet in a hotel room, she was to have sex with Mi-" Hearing dial tone, Elizabeth hung up, then looked at the paperwork on her bed and made yet another call.

"Maxie Jones." said the voice at the other end.

"Maxie, it is Elizabeth. Are you still looking for mysteries to solve? Because I need some help. I want to find the parents of the little boy who really did die on that operating table."

There was a gasp then the blond said "Oh my god, I forgot about that. I will help. When can we meet."

"I agreed with Jason and my family's suggestion to take some time off now that Jake is home. So how about tomorrow, we can met at Kelly's, around noon." she suggested.

"Okay, I can take a break then." she replied then went back to reading her sister's diary. She was up to Georgie finding out about Lulu being pregnant.

_ 

Downstairs, Jason couldn't sleep, his mind on what his mother and Elizabeth had said about the Abby situation and realized Elizabeth had been dead on in her description of what had gone down. He had been upset but then had backed off when it looked like things had worked out.

Writing Elizabeth and the boys a note, Jason left and went to find out a few things. Stopping in at the strip club, he was first told that Abby no longer worked there. Then asking about the woman and her friendship with Sam, was surprised when the girls said that they thought they had known each other long before Sam had started working there.

Leaving, he went to the apartment that blond had lived in. First thing that hit him was how had a college student who was moonlighting as stripper afford such a nice place. Stopping to talk to the manager he was not at all surprised to find out SAM had been paying for the girls place and that she had been since early '08.

Not liking where this was going, he went to talk to John Zachara only to be told that no one was to get in that evening. Slipping outside and then finally up to the penthouse, he picked the lock and let himself in. Seeing the Italian in bed, reading he said "We need to talk about Abby."

"Look, I got rid of her, paid her off to leave town. I don't like being used and I get the feeling her working for me, and her meeting Michael was a set up, Something that Brandon said when I talked to him gave it away." was all he told the man. "If you want anymore information, talk to your ex girl friend."

"I would but I am too angry to deal with her at the moment and let her live." he retorted.

"Good, I still don't get what happened there, but hey, we all screw things up." he said then hearing his son calling out, told Morgan to leave.

"I still need to talk to you." he insisted. "I will wait."

"Morgan, I am in bed naked, are you sure that is a sight you want to see?" he asked. Jason quickly left the room and went back down to the living room. When the man joined him wearing sweats and a t-shirt, Jason said "I heard about Lucifer really being your son with some mystery girl friend."

"No mystery, she left me when I couldn't tell her the truth. At the time I was trying to protect her from Trevor and my father. It blew up in my face." he said with a heavy sigh not adding that Trevor had found out anyhow and had had her taken away and John told she was killed. "Are you here about AJ too?"

"No, I think I know where to track down my brother." he said grimly then added. "Sonny said you walked away. I hope that you meant it."

"If it wasn't for that little boy, I would ruin him even more than he already is, but I won't leave that as a legacy for my son." he replied.

_

Elizabeth was looking around her Gram's house after her productive meeting with Maxie Jones while her father was on the phone with Audrey making plans to ship to the woman the boxes and items she had asked for. "Grams, what about the rest of the furniture?"

"Why don't you keep what you want, maybe offer some up to your brother but anything left, if it isn't an antique, arrange for it to go to the woman's shelter on Spruce Avenue for me." Audrey had come to visit her sister Lucille and her niece Annie, but since she had been there she had felt useful as something other than a sometimes grandmother and was enjoying her new lease on life.

"Are you sure?" Elizabeth asked feeling like she was kicking the woman out of her own home.

"Yes, Elizabeth." she said with a smile in her voice. "I am sure. This, what I am doing here is what your grandfather would have loved. I will be coming back to see you, I just won't be living there any more. Monica has offered me a room at the mansion when I come and this way you can make the house a true home for you and your growing family. When we bought the house the third floor was being used as a rec room, you could always return it to that you know."

"Gram's thank you. So very much. Do you want to talk to Jake again?" she asked. The elderly woman had tried to hide her tears over the phone but everyone had heard the gaps in her voice as she had talked to her grandson.

"No, I am sure that Cameron and he are outside playing by now." she said. "That is the way it should be. Elizabeth, just one thing my dear. Don't overreact to this tragedy, don't take the boys childhood away from them. Let them play, rough house, don't try to over do the watchfulness, this wasn't your mistake. Remember that, for me?"

"I am trying. Thankfully we will have guards. Milo returned from vacation today. They are going to be the ones protecting the boys." she admitted. "Its gonna be hard to let them go, to let them be kids."

Hanging up, Elizabeth gathered her sons, her father and then told Milo they were heading over to the city park since the weather had warmed up. "Thank you for letting me know, Ms Webber, I have to arrange for a few more guards if we are in public, on Mr. Morgan's orders."

"I was expecting that." she said amused then reminded him. "And Milo, my name is Elizabeth."

"Yes, Ms. Webber." he said with a knowing grin. "I may be young, but I am stubborn."

"So am I, so may the best woman win." she said holding out her hand as if to shake his.

"Certainly, may the best guard win." he replied with a smirk of his own as he called over to arrange for the extra guards.

_

At the park, Jeff was talking to Elizabeth about the various changes he had noticed in town when Jason joined them along with Diane Miller.

"Ms. Miller, this is my father, Jeff Webber. Dad this is Diane, Jason's and my attorney."

After the greetings, Jason took the paperwork and offered the adoption papers up to Elizabeth who was shocked to discover they just needed her signature. Then reading the date on them, her eyes rose to met Jason's, then swallowing past the lump in her throat signed them.

"I will file these with Judge Higgenbothem, then it will be official." she said with a smile. Then looking at Jason said "Congratulations on the third son."

"Thanks, Diane. When will we get the altered birth certificates." he asked. "And thank you for coming back early from your trip."

"I wish I could take credit but Max was excited when he heard the news." she said frowning a bit. All he had told her was that Jason was going to be a father again before he had had them packed up and returned to Port Charles.

Sam was watching from across the park, hiding in her car with a set of binoculars while Jason chased the boys around the park while Elizabeth talked to the man who had returned her son. Pouting a bit when Jason suddenly ducked behind Elizabeth and then hid there from Elizabeth's eldest son, that pout turned to anger when she saw him suddenly kiss Elizabeth.

The stupid woman didn't even looked pleased about it, thought Sam as she let a tear roll down her cheek when she saw the look on Jason's face. It was clear that he was having a great time, that he was laughing and enjoying himself.

Making a call, she listened to the clipped out words then drove over to the Jacks house. Being let in, she sat down then said "Carly, you were right, you were right all along about her. Jason, she has stolen Jason from me? Now how do I get him back."

"You don't. If you were smart you would pack up, leave Port Charles because I am going to destroy you. I don't know what you were up to with hiring that hooker for my son, but I know all about Abby aka Candy." She snarled.

"There is nothing left for you here Sam. I am the only women who can get Jason back from that man stealing bitch Elizabeth Webber. You don't get it do you. I GAVE Jason to you, I made it possible for you to be with him and you couldn't even do that right. You were a placeholder, a warm body I knew he would fuck then feel guilty about."

"Y-you told me Jason and I were perfect for one another." she yelled at the blond in front of her. "You were the one who told me Elizabeth meant nothing to him. That I oh my god. You used me? YOU USED ME! How could you?"

"Sam, cut the act. It's not like you really loved Jason." she sneered. "He was a rich guy and you like the pro you are, worked your way into his bed."

"He loved me, he told me he loved ME!" She shrieked. "You don't get to take that away from me, no one can."

Carly let out a loud boisterous but clearly derisive laugh. "Wow, you really are pathetic. You were in Jason's life because I LET YOU BE. Jason doesn't like to be alone. I know that and helped you play him. Every single romantic gesture he has ever set up for you, I helped him, told him to do that. Or I sent your sisters over to nag him into do that. Did you know why he called you that one time from prison, do you? Because I talked to Alexis who went to visit him, to guilt him into calling you."

"NO, that isn't true." she said then looking at Carly, got that yes, it was. "Why? Why do this to me?"

""Because in the end, you are easy to get rid of. Elizabeth, a lot harder I have been trying for years. Well guess what, Sammy. I may have lost but in the end, in the end, I will still have Jason's child. I looked at Maxie Jones' nonsense, she is wrong, she has to be. Jason is the father of my child." she said. "I know it, I know that this baby is a Quartermaine at heart."

"Uh, you're nuts." said Sam quietly. Standing she was about to walk out when Carly said "By the way, Abby left town but before she rode that Greyhound bus back to wherever she came from, she wrote me a letter. Run Sammy, run. I am going to ruin you."

Sam walked out the door and reminded herself that Carly was now an outcast and hurried back to try and track down Spinelli, she needed his help.

_

At GH, while waiting to talk to Steven Webber, Maxie was giving Jasper Jacks a very honest view of how she lived with her transplant. He asked even more questions, having to admit that his view of his daughter's future was a lot less scary after talking to the young blond.

"Jax when she is old enough, no matter what, get her into therapy." she said with her back to the blond. "A lot of my problems, mom wanted me to talk to someone but I pitched a fit of all fits and got out of it. Now I regret it. It's very hard to live with knowing someone else died so that you can live."

Jax found himself hugging the pixie, then leaning back. "I owe you an apology. I have had this idea of you, and clearly it wasn't true."

With a knowing grin, she said "Actually it probably was true. When we thought Jake died, something inside of me snapped. It brought a lot of things back and all I could hear is my sister in my head, asking me if I thought I was a good person. And her answer that no, I am not. I knew I had to change, become the person Georgie would be proud of, so I could be proud of myself."

"Your sister, she meant a lot to you, didn't she?" he asked thinking on Jerry and their relationship.

"Everything. No matter what else was going on, Georgie was always there for me, even if it was to do nothing more than lecture me on being a fool." she replied. Seeing Steven Webber, she thanked Jax for listening then went to get him to help her track down the real child.

"Maxie, you know you can't have that kind of access." he said annoyed with her following him around like a demented but very eager puppy. "Go home."

"No. Trust me, I am the best at annoying people to get what I want." she said. "Look, you can either help me or I will get Spinelli to tip toe through the records. Either way I get what I need."

Steven looked at the blond and then said resigned. "You aren't going away, are you?"

"Nope, so get used to me being here, right behind you, following you everywhere." she said cheerfully. "And thankfully Kate is in Paris this week, sooooo..."

Steven really didn't need this aggravation he thought to himself as he walked into the men's room to escape the blond. Getting ready to unzip, he heard the door open and turned to see who it was and said "Maxie, get out. This is starting to piss me off."

"Give in yet?" she asked with a wide grin as she moved closer.

"Fine stay." he said then was careful to turn just enough and went about his business only to find he couldn't. "MAXIE!"

Giggling, she leaned against the door to the stalls next to him at the urinal and said "Dr. Webber?"

Zipping back up, he stalked out the door and to his office, telling his assistant to keep the blond out, he went inside and locked the door. Calling Mac Scorpio, he was not amused by the police commissioners' pity nor his explanation that nothing less than being arrested would detour his daughter from whatever it was she wanted from him.

Muttering as he sat down and worked on his paperwork, Steven was a bit surprised when four hours later, all back paperwork was now up to date and his office was as clear as it had ever been. Unlocking the door, he peeked his head out, then asked. "Did she leave?"

"Did who leave sir?" asked the woman at the desk confused.

"The petite blond tornado that was annoying me." he stated looking around, feeling hunted.

"Uh sir, no one came in after you did earlier except Nurse Johnson when she left next weeks schedules." said the tall woman who wondered just how short the woman was since her boss wasn't exactly Wilt Chamberlain.

Steven walked down the hall, talking to himself and when he saw Robin and Patrick all lovey dovey at the hub snapped at them to get a room. "What is his problem?"

Epiphany Johnson was about to tell him when she saw the blond in the designer dress sneaking down the hallway following the handsome doctor and couldn't resist a soft chuckle as she thought about the entertainment value of what was going on.

_ 

As Mother's Day approached, Max Giambetti was in a state of shock. Carly had called him to tell the guard she was pregnant with Jason's child. That statement alone and his positive response to it to his now former boss had gotten him fired. Then had come the news that Milo and his father agreed he was a fool for believing in the blond. Then he had been dumped by Diane for saying Jason owed Carly.

Sitting on a plane heading to San Juan and to work for his former boss, Max could still hear the lecture that Sonny had given him over the phone before inviting him to work at the Casino for him. Max had taken the offer, shocked when Jason had told him that he didn't trust him to put his family over Carly after Max had protested saying Carly WAS Jason's family.

_

Johnny had tracked down Suzanne and was now sitting on a plane heading back to the States. He had much he had to find out, but he did have picture of his son with his now dead mother. His shaking hand reached for the large glass of vodka, his eyes closing as he came to terms with all he had learned.

When he heard the barking, he looked at the puppy he had gotten for his young son, then frowned. A puppy was a poor substitute for a mother, but it was the best he could do. Making the call, he asked the voice on the other end to met him at the airport and asked for him to gather a few people so he didn't have to tell his story twice.

Entering the penthouse, John saw his son playing and his heart went into overdrive as the little boy threw himself at him. "Did you find my mommy?"

John choked up and couldn't answer, couldn't tell his little boy that his mommy wasn't coming home. Outside were the sharp barks of the puppy and he found himself glad when it broke away from the guard and came scampering into the room.

Watching as Andrew chased him around then let him go after being licked, he went to open the door to his guests. Seeing first Mac Scorpio, followed by his niece and her husband. Then Jax walking in with Maxie Jones. Looking at Maxie, he closed his eyes as he finally saw the resemblance and found himself hating her for looking at all like the woman he had long loved.

"We are expecting a couple of other people, someone who also deserves the answers I found." he said with a heavy sigh. When Monica, Jason and Elizabeth entered, he said "There is a lot I have to tell you but first I have to take my son upstairs."

Talking to the part time nanny he had hired, John talked Andrew into playing in his room, then walked back down the stairs and looking at his guests. "I need to tell you a long story. It's ugly and I know you are going to have questions, I don't think I am going to be able to do this more than once, so I beg of you, please let me do this, then I will try to answer any questions you have."

Walking to the window, he looked out it, feeling sick as he said. "Most of you are aware of my history with my family. My father killing my mother, Lansing's part in this what happened to my sister. What you might not know is that a year before I met most of you, I ran away from home. Went to my mother's family in Ohio. I was dragged back, they were brutally murdered on what at the time I was told was my fathers orders. In truth it was Trevor, he needed me because I actually was the one on paper with control of my father's empire."

Jason had known a lot of that, but it was clear he had missed something from the way that John was acting. "I rebelled even more. I would take my car out, drive around, trying to crash. I would jump of buildings that were just a little too high up. I did a lot of foolish things to try and deal with my pain." he said with a sigh.

"One night, I was in my room with a gun. I held it to my head and was going to pull the trigger." he said with a wry laugh. Seeing Elizabeth's eyes showing compassion, he turned away and said "The television was on and this hot line number for what had to be PCU came up."

That got both Maxie and Mac's attention, Georgie had helped develop that program. "Anyhow there was the girl at the other end when I called. At first it was with a rather ugly intention. I was going to kill myself forcing them to listen instead, I don't know, she just sounded rather depressed for someone doing that job. Next thing I knew, we were talking."

Turning he said "We talked for about two hours, then I remembered Trevor had the lines tapped and quickly hung up. A week later I still couldn't get that night out of my mind. I fled the house and called again from one of those prepaid cell phones. Then again. She talked to me but that night, my father had had an episode and I ended up beat. I was at the breaking point and this time had no intentions of stopping."

Looking around, he knew that in the end all of them would hate him. "I uh, I snuck into a hospital, GH actually and stole a bottle of pills. Decided to make it easy for someone to find me and went to a hospital room. I could feel myself being watched but put it down to Trevor's thugs. There in the room, I started to swallow the pills. But I needed water after the first three so I left. I didn't see this woman following me."

"She caught me at my car, then saw the pills in my hand. She looked at me and said "That won't solve anything. I said you want to bet!" he said his lips twitching. "I found myself agreeing to a coin toss. After I had lost and she had made me let her drive me to this center; she forced me to throw up the pills. There were other people there, it was the call center. Anyhow, a professor I think came in, told her that a woman was on the phone hysterical and asking to speak to Karen."

"That was the name Georgie used at the center." mumbled Maxie a bit confused.

"I know, she was also the person who had kept me from killing myself repeatedly." he confessed. I stayed there for the rest of her shift then followed her out the door. Asked her out, she told me no. That her life was enough of a mess, that she was in the middle of getting a divorce and didn't need the added drama."

Hearing others muttering the name Dillon, he said "I never knew. I just kept calling and calling and finally she agreed to met with me but no place near Port Charles. We met, talked and then again and again. But she wanted me to open up as to what lead to me doing what I did. I couldn't, I didn't think she could possibly understand my motives. After all what did a pretty innocent girl like that know about the mob."

Jason winced because he had the feeling he knew where this was going. "We kept meeting and talking. Then one night, we were arguing and I told her something I swore I would never tell anyone as long as my father was alive. I was trying so hard to stay detached." he said mournfully. "But we kept arguing in spite of or maybe even because we knew that it was hopeless. And we slept together that night. I went home, was caught and a week later there was Trevor, with all the calls I had ever made to the center. That bastard of a professor had sold them to him."

Patrick recalled how Pete had fled town and got a bad feeling about this. "Trevor said it was at an end, that I had had my fun and if I didn't want him to go to my father, I gave up my car."

Bowing his head, John whispered "It didn't matter. We had met earlier that day and I had found a loose gun at the house. She found it on me while we were talking She made it damn clear it was over. That I wasn't who she wanted, so I gave Trevor the keys and just locked myself in my room."

"A month and a half later, Trevor returned them. Said she was gone. I freaked, went back to trying to kill myself but it didn't work. I tried drinking that didn't work. Then I met Lulu, whose last name I had heard from Trevor talking to someone about Port Charles. I decided, why not? After all, I was branded a low life, why not live up to the label."

"It didn't work, I ended up here at that Ball and my father showed up. I kept feeling someone's eyes on me, their anger and it made it worse. I was back in my head, becoming this man I didn't want to be. You all know what happened next. Then I was searching Trevor's study one day and found this letter addressed to me. It was from Karen."

With a sigh, John looked at Mac then at Maxie and just said it. "She wrote to tell me that she needed to speak to me that it was important. Trevor found me reading it, told me that it had been handled, then gave me a newspaper article, an obituary."

"I just wanted to forget. I tried, god knows I tried, but it nothing worked. Not Lulu, not Olivia, not even playing games with Lisa. All it did was make me feel like I was fulfilling her worst fears, I was going to take Sonny out because I think in my mind he had replaced Trevor as the reason I was stuck with this life." he said bleakly.

"Then Brenda came to me, about my son. And I got that Trevor lied and that all the nasty terrible little things I have done, all the screwing around with women like that the destroying myself. I have a son, a child with the woman I will die loving."

Jason turned his head, understanding what John was trying to say and feeling a kinship with the younger man. When he felt Elizabeth slip her hand into his, then give him an understanding smile, he felt a little less like a heel, and yet at the same time like a complete and total bastard.

"I had a starting place, a name, and that Suzanne had kidnapped my son." he said. "I was able to track her down. Don't worry, sir, she is alive."

Mac saw the man's eyes and knew that he had wanted to kill the woman. John continued. "She is in a jail cell in Mexico, awaiting trial for the murder of my son's mother."

There were a few gasps before he continued. "Her husband, the man we found out to be the Balkan was searching for her grandson, but Suzanne had a secret she didn't want revealed. She knew that Brenda did give birth but that it wasn't Alexander's child. She needed a child to use as cover. She also knew where to find one. A woman that had shown up at their charities offices, she was looking for Brenda. She walked in and asked Suzanne to give Brenda a picture of her, on it she had written. "Do you know me along with a since turned off cell phone number."

"Why would she write that?" asked Monica.

"I will get to that in a minute. Jax, the baby Brenda gave birth to, it was yours." he told the blond man who looked flummoxed. "Suzanne confessed that she had had your child all this time. Brenda never knew."

"W-where is my son?" he asked his voice hoarse.

John looked at him, regretting what he had to tell him. "The little boy whose kidney-"

Jax could only try to tune him out while saying no. John looked at him while Elizabeth went over and hugged the devastated man. "I am afraid so. One more thing, Elizabeth. Your son, he was outside because he saw this little boy playing next door."

Her head coming up as she recalled the boys name that Jake had been asking for. "The little boy, his name.. was it Jenson?"

"Yes." he said bleakly. "From what we figured out, there were two accidents on that street. Luke who hit Jenson and Carly who hit Jake. Michael told me that he admitted to you what happened Jax, that he told Jason and Elizabeth as well."

"Yes, as part of his therapy." Elizabeth had been angry with the blond, but there were others she was angrier at.

"Jax, they were originally going to pass the random boy off as your son, then who his mother was came out, then Jason being his father and suddenly the so called random boy was too hot to handle. That was when this Siobhan got involved along with Franco." he said.

Looking down, he said "But Theo still wanted his grandson. So Suzanne was reminded of that little boy with his mother in the photo she had never shown to Brenda. A dark haired little boy whose mother had no memory of who she was."

Mac tensed, then looked at John who said "She had bits and pieces. I uh, I have this."

Showing them the battered book, he sat it down on the table, his hands not wanting to part with it. "Its a diary, listening all the memories she had regained be- before Suzanne killed her."

Maxie found herself wanting to comfort her friend but something, something was nagging her. John looked up at her then down at the book. "I have no idea how she ended up where she did but- I-"

"She was Georgie?" Mac asked while Robin stood and walked to the mantle with the picture of the little boy, the boy that had never seemed to fit when she met him as Brenda's son.

"The eyes, they are pure Georgie." she said picking up the picture. The tears flew as she turned then asked "Why, why kill her?"

"She needed a boy to appease Brenda and Theo. She took my son and killed his mother and I never- I never even knew it was going on." he said then found himself being attacked as Maxie kept hitting as she screamed no, you are lying. You are lying. No, no... no. As she collapsed, Monica and Robin checked on the emotionally destroyed blond.

Mac could see the despair and self loathing in John's eyes and knew that no, he wasn't lying. Monica looked up at John and asked "What part did AJ play in this?"

"He was tracking the Balkan as a way to take down Sonny after finding out about Michael ending up in prison. He got there two days after finding out Georgie was dead. He didn't know it was her, just that she was connected to the little boy." John told her in a monotone. "I had to tell you."

Monica walked over to Mac and said "I am taking Maxie to GH, its only a precaution. I hate to ask but I need you to let me get her calmed down before coming over. I am going to arrange for someone to talk to her."

Helpless to do anything for his little girl, Mac watched as Monica, Patrick and Elizabeth took the young girl to the elevator. Jason and Jax were talking in the corner, then the Aussie thanked John for his honesty before they left together.

Looking between Robin and Mac, he said "I wish to god I had had some idea what was going on. I am sorry what I took from you."

"That was Suzanne, and more than likely Trevor." Robin said thinking on all the loss they had suffered over the years. "I uh, John, I would like to spend time getting to know Georgie's son. I am sure Maxie is going to want to too."

Mac heard her voice break and knew he was only one step from joining her but anger was fueling his strength. He wanted to make sure that the woman who killed his daughter paid and that meant having a clear head. "Oh course." he said. "I won't let Ge-her down. I promise I won't."

Hugging the clearly upset man, Robin walked to the door then looked at him and said "I am going to GH to check on Maxie but Mac, you might want to stop Jason and Jax, they're on their way to see Carly."

Mac was grateful for something to do, because right now, violence was all that was on his mind. Nodding at John, he said "I would also like to spend some time with my grandson. Plus I have to let Felicia and Frisco know what is going on."

Jason had tried to talk Jax about going to see Carly, worried about how he would react but when the man promised to remain under control, he instead went to the house where he knew he would find Elizabeth. They had for the most part gotten the new house ready for them, but there were a few things left to take care of before they moved everything in on Mother's day.

Entering, he saw Elizabeth sitting on the newly carpets floor crying and went over to join her. Things were still a bit awkward with them but he found himself pulling her into his arms and holding her while she cried. "Jason, I don't want to fight, not any longer but I am so angry."

"I get it, I feel the same way." he said then rested his head against her. "My loved for you has been a part of me for almost twelve years and it isn't going anywhere I promise. I won't let you go, never again."

Her heard resting against his heart, she said "They are never going to get a second chance. I was listening to him and all I heard was my own voice saying if you don't take this chance you aren't going to get another. I don't want to end up like that, heart broken and destroyed because I was too stubborn."

"But you also don't want to end up heart broken as the result of trusting me and then I do something stupid like walk away out of fear again." he finished for her. "I get that. I think we are making good progress with the doctor."

"What if something happened before we are ready to go any further, what happens if.."

Jason leaned down and stopped the words with a kiss. Pulling back, he saw her surprise and said "No more what if's. We can't live like that. It was what got up so screwed up."

Elizabeth nodded then said "I want us to work on the physical side as well, if you don't mind."

Blushing Jason looked at her and said "What do you think?"

She could feel his erection straining against his jeans, had since the first time he had pulled her into his arms only a couple days after Jake had been returned. "Can we take it slow?"

With a wicked smile he said "As slow as you want."

Her insides melting, but knowing that they had to slow this down, she said "Jason."

Kissing her, Jason lifted her at the knees and carried her bridal style up the central staircase which could be seen from the uncovered window. The woman sitting in the car across the street, wiped the now bitter tears and drove home to her empty penthouse.

Taking out the book, reading it yet again, all Sam could do was imagine what was going on back at Elizabeth's house. 

At the house, Jason had set Elizabeth down on her feet in what was now going to be the master bedroom then stood in front of her. "When you are ready, when I am ready, you need to understand one thing. This, we are the last for each other. Never again will anyone come between us."

Shocked at the level of trust she felt for Jason, Elizabeth rested her hand against his heart then said You and the boys are all I have ever wanted or needed."

Jason rested his head against hers then looked down before saying. "I want one thing more."

Her eyes met his and saw something but she wasn't sure what until he confessed. "I want a little girl who looks just like her mommy."

_

Elizabeth was faking sleep when Jake was telling Aidan they had to be quiet as what sounded like a herd of elephants were coming up the steps to her bedroom. It was hard to fake when she could smell the delicious omelet and taking a sniff in spite of herself... yum, that smelt like hot cocoa.

"Mommy, surprise!" Pretending to wake up and seeing her men there, the part that truly shocked her was the matching shirts that said Elizabeth's boys. "Mommy, did we wake you?"

"Yes, you three woke me." she said then helped the younger two climb up on the bed while Cam did so on his own then he suffered through the same kiss his younger brothers got. "Did you make me breakfast?"

"Daddy did." they all said pointing to the blond who was trying to find a safe way to set the tray down. When it was finally placed down, they all watched her eat with an eagerness that reminded her of herself but she had no sooner placed down her fork after the last bite when they all insisted on giving her gifts.

Opening up the present that clearly the very independent Cam insisted on wrapping himself, Elizabeth's lips twitched when she saw the Hoover hand held vacuum. Looking at an embarrassed Jason, she went to the second present and found the cook book from Jake, she was scared to open what was labeled from Aidan.

Finding the oven mitts, she couldn't help it, she burst out laughing but was quickly reprimanded by Cam who reminded her that she hadn't opened daddy's gift yet. Her lips twitching as she whispered to Jason that if that box contained a microwave he was so in trouble, she saw his eyes widen in fear and gave the large square box a second glance and hid her groan.

Inside, was in fact a microwave but they were all insisting she open it NOW! Jason lifted the heavy object outside then told her to hit the button to open it. Doing so, she saw the small packages inside and found her real gifts.

A hand print from Jake, a coupon book of hugs from Cam who said his teacher had had to write out his mommy's name on them for him. Then she opened Aidan's and saw a footprint similar to Jake's hand print. "Mommy, Aidan kept squirming when Ms Maxie and Uncle Steven helped us make them."

Jason quietly asked her to open the last box. Stiffening when she saw the name of a local jeweler on the box, her heart turned to mush when inside she found a charm pendant with the boys names and their birthstones inside. "Jason."

"I wanted something different than your bracelet." he said. Kissing each of the boys, then with a playful expression, Elizabeth tugged Jason's head down and engaged him in a real kiss to the disgust of Cam and Jake while Aidan just wanted to get at the wrapping paper.

"We have to meet everyone at the house." he told her lifting the heavy microwave off the bed. "Oh, and you should know, this was your father's idea, the appliances."

"As long as he doesn't expect me to make any of the recipes everything will be fine." she warned laughing as she went off to shower. Today they were moving into their new home, together as a family. Hurrying Elizabeth came down the stairs just as Robin came over and showed off her earrings and to admire the pendant.

"Okay, where do you want to start?" asked the various men gathered around.

A pushy Maxie rushed in and said "Wait its mothers day, moms don't have to work. We just get to boss the rest of you around."

Patrick leaned into Steven and said softly that that won't be a problem for Robin only to be elbowed in the stomach by his wife who laughed in spite of herself. "Wait, Maxie you aren't a mom, get to work."

"Stick it where the sun doesn't shine, Webber." she said with a sweet smile then looked over at where he was bending to pick up a box. "Don't forget to bend at the knees, you know you don't want any back problems."

Maxie looked around, enjoying herself and finding that this was where she wanted to be, with these people who didn't have a mean bone in their body, who didn't look at one another with a mind to what they could do for each other. They were just friends, getting together to help one another out.

"No, I have to carry around the hundred pound menace that is stalking me." he told Patrick. "Your brother claimed he got a job in Baltimore, are you sure he wasn't fleeing to get away from her?"

Patrick just put another box on top of the one his chief of staff was carrying then groaned when his wife with her hands on her hips glared at him. "Okay, okay, I get the message."

Elizabeth found herself enjoying the day spent moving, their friends had help, Jason had found himself clearly having fun as well. When they both fell onto the sofa in the great room, she looked at him and said "Why did we not have your men do this?"

"You said you would prefer to do it this way." he said looking around at the chaos the house was in. Their sons were chasing around her brother, Monica was ordering Alice to set up the food on the patio, Edward was ordering the various men where to plant the rose bushes.

Monica looked around, her mind on her missing son and the letter he had sent her regarding Carly's pregnancy. Seeing Jason and Elizabeth who looked tired, she was glad to see how relaxed they were together. They were slowly inching back to one another.

"It was a great idea, wasn't it?" Elizabeth asked laughing as she watched Maxie shriek at whatever Steven said then start to attack the doctor. "You think we should stop that."

"No, your brother is on his own." said Epiphany as she handed each of them a water bottle then sat down across from them. "Bobbie Jones called me. She is with Jax and the children visiting his mother in Australia. His divorce from Carly was final."

"I hope that Alexis did a good job protecting the kids." was all Jason would say. Michael who had been worried about coming over sat down and looking at his feet said "He did, Mom can't come near any of us. Alexis found some obscure ruling to include me too in it. Jax asked if I wanted to go with them but I can't, I have exams this week."

"I am proud of you." Jason told the blond. "You have gotten your act together."

"Thanks to Monica." he said with a sigh. "I uh, sent mom a card and flowers but I don't want to go see her. Dad called, he is getting married. I didn't even know his divorce from Brenda had gone through. I also talked to Dante. He is back in New York, working counter-terrorism, his mom is back in Bensonhurst. Looks like everything turned out alright for everyone."

Elizabeth couldn't help thinking about Jenson Jacks, the poor little boy who had died, about Georgie Jones who had lost so much then looked around and knew that there had been some terrible losses but yes, Michael was right, things were starting to turn out alright.

Epilogue

Christmas shows us the ties that bind us together, threads of love and caring, woven in the simplest and strongest way within the family. -Westlake

Jason was carefully putting the star on the top of the tree when he heard the crash in the boys playroom. Elizabeth told him she would be right back as she hurried up the stairs in time to see the toys all over the place. "Does someone want to tell me what happened here?"

Her lips twitched when Cam looked at her then with a guilty sigh said "No, but I know I had better."

"Well?" she asked while the four boys and one girl scrambled to pick up the mess.

"We were trying to build a tower." said Jake with a smile at his mommy. "Like Mr. Johnny's doing."

Looking over at Andrew who was smiling as he tossed the blocks into the box, she said "Okay, but how about you take a break after you finish cleaning up, I made some brownies."

When there was a rush to the door, she stopped the first child, her son Cam and turned them all around. "I do believe there are some blocks that need put back first."

She wanted to laugh but at the same time was still a bit annoyed with both John and Jason over letting the children onto the construction site for the newest high rise to be built in Port Charles, even if they had only been in the trailer on the property. Since then, the boys had been begging to be allowed to ride up in the elevator to the top of the worksite.

Jason had stayed in the hallway knowing that they were still fascinated and that he was going to have to talk to Elizabeth about maybe letting them go once it was spring. As he was listening they all groaned but soon had the toys back where they belonged while Emma stood off to the side and kept finding blocks they had missed. Leaning in he said softly. "I told you those legos would be a good idea."

"No one likes to hear I told you so, Mr. Morgan." she said with a glare at the man who had insisted on buying their boys several packages of the brightly colored blocks and had personally wrapped and hidden them for next week.

As the five children were soon seated around the table, Elizabeth's phone rang. "Hello Jax. Sure, the more then merrier."

Jason's eyes met hers, then she mouthed that Brenda was back and he got it. Going to open the door since the Australian admitted he was outside in the driveway already. Watching as Morgan took his coat off but didn't bother with is boots before heading straight for the brownies and hot cocoa, he was handed Joss and told that Maxie was going to pick them up so that Steven could examine Joss later that day.

"Thank you, I just don't want the children there when I tell her what John found." he admitted. "Michael saw her first, told her to call me immediately. He was working or he would have kept the kids for me."

"No problem, Emma and Andrew are here already and Nik wanted to stop over since he is in town so we soon will have Spencer here as well." Jason told the man who was pulling out when the Greek's limo pulled up.

When the little boy had gone to play with the other children, Elizabeth set up Joss in the playpen with Aidan before they gathered a few feet away. "Okay, Nik what is gong on?"

Wincing at the tone, he hesitated then said "Helena is dead, I thought you deserved to know after all she has done to you and your family."

"I can't say I am sorry." she told the man.

"Luke, I am sure you know was allowed out for good behavior." The man had gone to prison for a year but had only served six months. Elizabeth and Jason were well aware that Jax was not happy about it and neither were they. "Mom and Lulu are still in Paris, after Dante broke her heart, she went a little wild but is now working for some designer friend of Brenda's."

Elizabeth didn't know why he was telling her all this, she had made it plain that she was done with the Spencer family. Then the other shoe dropped. "Uh, Elizabeth Lucky needs your help."

"No, Nik, Whatever it is, the answer is no." she said.

"Look, he is in jail in Ireland. They ran some tests and they are proving that he is this Ronan O'Rielly person, they are claiming to have found his DNA at one of the murder scenes. Look, I just need you to come to Ireland."

Standing, Elizabeth looked at Nik and said "I am not going to help your brother. That is your job, that is your family's mess. I am out of it. Where is his wife in all of this, why isn't she helping?"

"Siobhan disappeared." he told her slightly embarrassed and getting angry that she wouldn't help Lucky after all they had done for her. "Elizabeth, he won't make it. He has already been there six months."

"Nik, I told you when Jake came back, I am done being the Spencer family hand holder." she told him. Nik stood, stiffly then said "Well if that is the way you are going to be, fine. I guess I know where your loyalties lie."

Gathering his protesting son, Nik looked at Jason then at Elizabeth and tossed "You two deserve one another." at them before walking out, his back stiff as a board.

Hugging Jason, she said "Wow, talk about gall. I can't believe him. Now what were you telling me when he came to the door."

With a wry laugh, he pulled her onto the sofa and said "It seems like all of our exes are rearing their heads at the same time. Alexis came to warn me that Sam is coming to town for Christmas. She invited Molly and Kristina to where she is living in Hawaii and when Alexis wouldn't let them go, she invited herself to the Lakehouse."

"Great, so we should run into her at the party." she said with a groan. "Fun will be had by all, especially with Carly due to give birth this week."

His eyes blinking, Jason said "I forgot about that. Sonny will be here with his new wife, now Brenda.. We could pack the children up, go to Italy again."

Reminded of their two week trip that summer to Italy, Elizabeth was considering it then reminded him that Audrey was coming to town. "We have room on the jet for her." he stated getting desperate. 

Jax let Brenda in and almost shut the door in Spinelli's face. "The two of you have been together all this time?"

"Yes. Jax, the baby, my child, it wasn't Alexanders, it was..."

"Mine. I know." Jax told his ex and then suggested that Spinelli leave. "We really need to talk Brenda."

The geek decided to track down his former non wife unaware of the shocking surprised he was about to get while Jax tried to find the words to tell Brenda their son was dead.

Sitting down across from the brunette, he reached for her hands and said "Suzanne is in prison for killing the boy she gave you's mother. A woman came to your offices, she gave Suzanne a picture of her and her son and wrote you a note."

""A note?" she asked confused.

"On it, she asked if you knew her and listed her telephone number. She had amnesia and told Suzanne that she had seen a picture of you, and felt like she knew you personally. Later on, when she needed a child, the girl who had no idea who she was was perfect. No family to know she was missing. However, she had family, you did know her."

"Who was she?" Brenda asked. Hearing that it was Robin's young cousin, she gasped in shock. "Georgie, she killed Georgie? Why, why would she do that?"

"There is more, she was the reason Jake Morgan was originally kidnapped. She had no idea who he was nor who his parents were. From what I have found out she was driving on the road after Carly hit Jake."

"So she just grabbed Jason's son?" she asked. "Once again why?"

"Because moments before, another car hit a child, one who was too badly damaged to survive. The little boy she had been keeping away from us." he told her as gently as he could. Brenda got it, then she started to cry.

Jax just held her, letting her mourn for the child they had lost. When she finally started to calm down, he waited for what would come next. "Jax, who hit our child?"

"Carly." he told her. When she stood, her hands clasped as she started towards the door. "Brenda, there is more. We can't charge her because we have no proof other than Micheal's word."

The brunette turned to look at him, the rage in her eyes practically unmanning him as she spat out. "That bitch killed my child. She got away with it. I am going to make sure she knows."

"Brenda, there is more." he said with a sick look as he said "Our little boy he, was the one who gave his kidney..."

"Good." she said angrily making plans to take her daughter away. "I am going to destroy her, take her own child away, maybe take all her children away."

"Michael lives at the Quartermaine mansion, he has very little contact with her, she keeps seeking him out, he wants no part of her. I have custody of Morgan and Joss, she doesn't even have visitation."

"Its not enough, Jax. It will never be enough." she said standing in the doorway. "I can't have any more children, there is nothing left for me as a parent."

"I am sorry, Brenda." When she walked to the door, he said "What happens now for you?"

"I go back to Italy and never step in this miserable town again. Once I get my divorce, I am gone." she said without looking back.

"Sonny is already remarried, so you should already be divorced." he warned her. She turned to look and said "Good, I was worried he wouldn't take care of it. Jax, why do you stick around here, I don't know but if you were smart you would get as far away as you can." 

_

At GH Carly was leaving when she saw Lady Jane talking to her mother. When the older woman turned her back towards the pregnant woman, she pressed her lips together to avoid insulting the woman. Jane had come to see her when she came back with her son after Mother's Day, the woman had sat down and gave Carly a present from her son because she had promised Morgan.

Then the news about whose child had saved her daughter had become public and Carly had been positive that they were lying to her. She had come to accept that Jake was alive in spite of her best efforts, but the news that it was Jax' son with Brenda had caused her to say things that even she knew were vile.

Unfortunately she had had quite an audience for her temper tantrum and now there were a very limited number of people who talked to her. Her children didn't , her family was gone, except for her mother who clearly only spoke to her under obligation.

She had been expecting Jason to come to her rescue, she still had hope. She truly believed that when push came to shove, the day she gave birth, Jason would remember all she had meant to him. All she had done for him.

Leaving GH, she went to the hotel where she immediately went to her office and stayed. Jax had tried to force her to sell her shares to him but she had managed to stave him off using that she was pregnant but that excuse would soon end. Find yet another not reassuring her that yes, her child was a Quartermaine and to not lose hope, Carly held it to her chest, never hearing the woman who had entered the room.

"Well well, if it isn't the woman who killed my son." said the rude tone from the annoying model. "I can't believe you, you truly have gall. You have got to be the biggest bitch I have ever met in my life."

"What do you want Brenda." she said looking up from the file she was reading then when she saw the red eyes, knew that if she wanted to get back on Jason's good side she had to do what was going to cost her a lot. "I gather you heard, I am sorry, Brenda for your loss but you should at least be happy he saved his sister's life."

"I only wish that was true, but Carly I know that you had other options, you just refused to take them." she spat out at the blond who was biting her teeth.

Brenda could tell and she couldn't resist telling the blond that holding back was gaining her nothing, with anyone. "Fine, well if you want to be mad, the person you should be mad at is Elizabeth Webber, after all it was her that gave up your son's kidney, who signed the papers to have the machines turned off."

"You cold blooded bitch. When you thought it was Jake, it was all about how Jason saved your daughter, it was as if Elizabeth was of no significance but now that you need someone else to put the blame on, suddenly it was all on her." Brenda glared at the woman then stood. "I came here to tell you what I think of you and now, now I know I am wasting my time because you have no guilt, no conscious thought about how you are responsible for any of this."

Leaving, Brenda called and was told that Sonny and his new wife were at his estate. Stopping over, she saw him swearing as he hung up the phone. "Problems?"

"Dante, he won't come home for Christmas, insists on spending in Bensonhurst." he announced.

"Sounds like he is spending it at home, just not yours. I came for a copy of our divorce decree." she told him. When he handed her a copy, she looked at him then heard the footsteps and saw the woman entering and then looked back at Sonny before nodding and walking out the door.

Outside, she called over to talk to Robin. "Have you seen any pictures of Sonny's new wife?"

"No, he said he wanted to introduce us to her at the hospital party." Reported Robin smiling as Maxie came into the waiting area carrying Joss Jacks and arguing with Steven Webber. The smile went away and she said could you please repeat that?

"Robin, his new wife is a double for the picture he once showed me of his mother." the woman said the gave her friend the news she was leaving town right away after paying Mr. Spinelli for his services.

The geek had looked all over for Maxie, she had been promoted to feature writer at work, so she wasn't at the magazine, she wasn't at her place, she also wasn't at Casa de Scorpio. When he had learned her number had been changed, he decided to stop over and see if she was at the hospital.

He had heard that Matt Hunter, the faithful resident was now working in Charm City so he had hope that maybe now they could finally get their non marriage back on track. He arrived at the same time as Mr. Jacks and was about to approach Maxie when he saw the Valkyries daughter snugly being carried in her arms.

Hiding as he watched the blond carrying his daughter after a discussion with the chief doctor and his fair blond one. Girding his loins he was ready to announce his presence when his phone rang. Listening to the most bodacious one, he agreed to pick up his check then quickly left the area.

Meanwhile Diane who had been working a very special brand of magic had cleared the way for Jason's brother to be able to return home. It had taken some skillful legal maneuvering and that Alexis was a bit distracted as the result of her daughter arriving unannounced, but she soon was on the phone with Jason to give him the news. "Thanks Diane, I will let my mother know."

Calling over, he asked Monica to stop over to the house, then went to answer the knock at the door. Seeing Sonny, he stepped onto the porch and asked what he was doing there.

Pressing his lips together, the older man announced he was only home for the holidays and had no intentions of sticking around. "I came over to see how crazy you were after half a year of domestic bliss."

Jason looked at the man, taking a good look and finding he really wasn't that comfortable around him anymore. "I am fine, no craziness at all."

There was an awkward silence then Sonny said "I saw they are building a new office building on Zachara property, the kid must have been fuming to lose it."

"He is the one building it. He took his holdings legit after finding out about his son." Jason told the man. Seeing Sonny's interest, Jason didn't tell him he had done the same thing pretty much. He had no plans of letting the man back in, legal or illegal business.

"Fine, fine." he said in a pretense of joviality. There was silence again then Sonny asked about Sam.

"No idea, I haven't talked to her since the night Jake was returned." he told the man.

"Oh, what about the kid?"

"Same thing. Nor have I had a face to face conversation with Carly." Seeing the look on his face, Jason did tell him. "Michael is doing well, at the Quartermaines, he is working for Jax since it didn't work out at the hospital."

"I heard." he replied not admitting he had heard about it on one of his rare calls from Morgan. "I got married again."

"I heard." Jason said then looking at his watch announced he had to stop over to see someone in fifteen minutes.

Sonny was a bit pissed off at what he felt was being blown off so he ordered his driver to follow his ex partner and saw him going into a jewelers. Getting out and looking in the window, he saw the man looking at rings. Leaving satisfied Jason hadn't been blowing him off, Sonny drove to the Brownstone hoping his children might be there.

Instead the only person there was his ex-mother in law who told him that yes they were off of school but that Morgan was more than likely with his friends and that Michael was more than likely working. Driving to see Michael, he was surprised to find that he wouldn't' cancel his dinner plans and join him and his new wife at the estate.

"Michael we are only going to be in town a few days." he said then reluctantly drove out to the LakeHouse. Seeing Kristina and Molly he invited his daughter only to be told she was helping Molly with something that night since their mother was finishing shopping.

Pouting a bit and feeling more than a little annoyed, Sonny went home just in time to hear Carly and his new wife arguing. Seeing Carly's face, it was clear she had decided she had lost everything else and had come to see him planning on marking old territory.

"Carly leave. Elena has done nothing to you." he told her, then said "I am sure that this behavior isn't good for your child."

Heaving from anger, Carly glared at the dark haired woman and said "Remember what I told you, Sonny, always, always comes back to me."

"That is why he said he finally gave in to his deepest darkest wish when after yet another one of your fits he threw a glass of water in your face. Yeah, that screams true love." His wife said then when the she-devil left, cried on her husbands shoulder.

Sonny was feeling like king of the world when he woke up the next morning and reached for his new wife only to find a note. "Sweetie, I must go and find the perfect gift for all the wonderful presents you have given me over the last year."

_ 

John was thanking Elizabeth for keeping his son when he saw the lighthouse drawing hanging over the mantle. "Where is this?"

"Out old Fork Road, not too many people go out there now days, why?" she asked curiously.

"There was a post card of it in Georgie's memory diary." he replied looking at the pen and ink drawing. He had gone over the memory diary again and again, hoping to find some mention of him, some hope that she had had at least the feelings of knowing someone had loved her. There were none, mainly the book contained descriptions of places, of people, of events that were like a time line of her life.

"From what Grams told me it used to be famous there was a song about it in the fifties." she told him.

"That explains the post card, just now how Georgie got it in Mexico." he replied with a sigh. "Nor why she was in Mexico."

"She more than likely speaks Spanish considering her family was from Texas and they have some connections to Mexico. Have you asked Maxie?" she inquired.

"No, I can't. I see Georgie in Maxie, every time we talk. I have been avoiding her for months." he said with a sigh. Taking a bundled Andrew to his car, he listened to what the man waiting for him had to say. "Do they know how Suzanne died?"

"Sniper rifle, high voracity during a prison riot." he told the man.

"Find out who." he said then looking at his son told the man to forget about it. "I don't want to know. I can't keep chasing dreams that aren't going to come true."

_ 

AT the Morgan house almost a week later, the parents got the children off to bed then sat down on the sofa stunned at how their evening had gone. There had been some fun but for the most part it had been a strange evening.

First Steven had read the Christmas story like usual then her brother had disappeared for about twenty minutes, turning up looking a bit flustered and when asked had told his sister he was working on a few things. She had let it go but teased him about the pale lipstick on his collar. He had flushed then quickly changed into a set of scrubs before deciding he was going to cover the ER that evening.

Then Jeff had been caught kissing Diane Miller under the mistletoe to the shock of both of them and poor Monica who had seen her long ago ex flush when the attorney had pinched his rear end and tell him she would see him later.

Things had gotten a little more entertaining when young Emma Drake had decided that she was going to hit all the buttons on the phone at the hub, not only had the police and fire departments responded, but she had hit the intercom button and all had heard her parents making plans for that evening. Robin's blush might fade in thirty or forty years.

The Q's on the other hand had had to deal with Sonny who had been told that all charges for past crimes had been dropped against AJ Quartermaine, who was still alive. He had created a temper tantrum that humiliated his kids until his new wife had gotten him out of there.

Jason had gotten a call from the men he had watching Sonny, the Cuban had taken his jet back to the island. Michael had been dealing with learning the truth about all three of his parents and while he hadn't forgiven AJ for kidnapping, he had at least a better understanding how his mother and adopted father had driven the man to do what he had done.

Edward had made a secretive call when Bobbie had come to tell them that Carly was giving birth, all knew that the courts system was more than likely going to take this child away from her, she had been declared unfit to be a parent in regards to her two other children already.

Monica had spent the afternoon with her grandsons, enjoying the insanity of having all four of them at the hospital and then at her home while their parents did all the last minute shopping they needed. When she had gotten a call, then whispered to Jason that AJ was going to be talking to Carly, he had grimaced and said "She is going to be raging and showing up at our house."

"Maybe not." Monica said with a scheme in mind to keep the blond out of her son's hair. She knew he intended to propose to Elizabeth that night. Making a few calls, she heard Jax's answer then went to deal with the paperwork.

Bobbie was sitting with Carly when she saw that Lulu was calling. Stepping outside to talk to her niece, she grimaced at the good news but knew that in the long run nothing would change. "Lucky should cut his losses regarding this woman."

"Siobhan and he are married, he loves her Aunt Bobbie." she said then looking across the lobby of the hotel where she was meeting Nik and her father, her eyes narrowed when she saw Brooklynn talking to Dillon who had some skinny flat-chested blond bimbo hanging off his arm.

Huffing and puffing when her aunt told her about Carly, Lulu said they can't do that to her.

"Yes they can." said the woman before hanging up and going back inside. Seeing a man in the room, she gave a sigh of relief when she saw the tall muscular blond, never noticing it wasn't Jason.

The blond in the bed was a bit out of it when she opened her eyes and saw the outline of the man standing there. "Jason, thank god. I knew eventually you would come and save me."

"No saving, Carly and you know it. Did you like the notes?" he asked her, holding out a copy of the first one. When he saw her loopy smile, he said "Yeah, you liked them and the idea you were carrying the heir to the Quartermaine estate. Too bad it isn't this estate, but the one I created myself with my own brains and sweat."

"Who, what is going on, who are you, where is my Jason?" she asked reaching towards the glass of water her mother had placed nearby for her.

"You don't recognize me, I am the father of two of your children, Carly. How can you not know who I am?" he asked enjoying her befuddled state of mind. "It's me, AJ."

"No, you can't be AJ. AJ is dead." she said trying to regain her mind.

"No, Carly I am not. I am here because Helena Cassadine has a sick sense of humor and that child you are carrying is mine." he told her, seeing her smile and the way she was reacting he said "Jason knows, he isn't coming to rescue you, not this time."

"Why, wait, what do you want?"

"I would like for you to live the horrible screwed up life you have been forcing Michael to live but we both know you think that there was nothing wrong with it, in spite of how messed up our son is. Thankfully living with my family is starting to help, but our son was RAPED, he was attacked and if it wasn't for you and that bastard Sonny, neither my brother nor my son would have been forced into the life you love so much."

"J-jason..." Carly tried to call for the man she knew would save her, she was certain, just absolutely certain AJ was there to kill her. "I won't let you kill me."

"Oh, you have it all wrong. I am not here to kill you." he said with a smirk. "I am here for one reason only to claim my child, the one you are carrying. Then my wife and I will raise him. I have talked to Michael on the phone. While we may never be father and son, at least he understand why I am taking this child away from you."

"Jason won't let you do that, he knows that a child belongs with it's mother." she said trying to sit up.

"Carly, I would agree with him, unless of course the mother is you." he said then slipped out the side door just as Bobbie returned.

"Momma, AJ was here, he is threatening to take my child away from me, you have to tell Jason, you have to tell him so he can stop him from stealing my child." she begged only for Bobbie to call Kelly Lee.

"She is hallucinating again." the red head told the gynecologist.

"We can't cut the pain meds anymore, without taking them completely away." she warned the woman.

"I know, but I just don't know what to think." said Bobbie. She knew AJ was in town, but a deal had been reached, he was to stay away until Carly had given birth, he wasn't going to be allowed to hurt her daughter, not if she had anything to say about it. After all it was Sonny that had caused him the worst pain, all Carly had wanted was to raise her children without him in her life.

When Carly had fallen back to sleep, she went to Monica's office and told her old friend the news. "Are you certain AJ hasn't been in Carly's room?"

"Yes, he is asleep in the lounge with his wife, Bobbie. Is this more of this nonsense where Carly is insisting he is threatening her. You know what this is about." she lied to her old friend, but for once someone was going to be on AJ's side. She felt bad that her friend didn't know the complete truth but she honestly didn't trust Bobbie not to try and spirit her away. She knew deep down Bobbie thought Jason was going to intervene and help Carly, but it wasn't going to happen, not this time.

Jason had already set it up, and the minute this child was born, it was going home with it's father. Bobbie hadn't agree with the courts decision that Carly was an unfit mother, she still felt that Carly deserved another chance in spite of how Jax and Lady Jane had pointed out the damage she had done to Jossalyn and to the memory for her late daughter BJ's foundation with her lies about needing a transplant.

When what she had done had come out, many large donors had pulled funding for the project, feeling like Carly had side stepped around the rules. Then when the truth had come out, that her daughter might have survived without a transplant, it had further eroded confidence in the foundation.

At two in the morning, Christmas day a couple of insignificant things happened, a greyhound bus pulled into the Port Charles terminal, and at General Hospital a woman gave birth. The little boy was named Alan and his parents were ecstatic as they watched their son in his warming bed.

His biological mother laid back in the recovery room, shocked as Diane Miller handed her the paperwork cutting all ties between her and the child. Weeping, she was moved to her regular room where there were no flowers, no balloons and no Jason Morgan waiting.

Bobbie had stormed out only to be stopped by two of Mac's detective who gave her the judges order and a copy of what had happened in his chambers. After reading them, seeing what Jason had testified to, the woman just gave up and accepted that this time, this time Carly was not going to win after all.

At the Davis household things were a bit strained between Sam and her mother but her sisters had been happy to see her. Sam had moved to Hawaii to await the moment that Jason finally realized he didn't love Elizabeth, that it as all because of the kids. She had come home to see if he was close to walking away but instead she had heard him telling his mother about his plans to propose to the woman.

Presents were opened, Molly excited to get the latest serious of Vampire books, Kristina excited by the clothes and Alexis was just marking the time until she took Sam to the airport. Sam had been touched when Molly said she had something for her, that it wasn't a present but that she wanted her to have them in honor of the changes her sister was making in her life.

Not having time to open them before leaving, she kissed her sisters and got onto the jet to take her back to where she was living her life in a holding pattern, waiting for the day that Jason came to tell her he was going to put her first. After the seat belt light went off, she opened the shopping bag and froze when she saw the five books tied with a ribbon.

Untying it, she was a bit astonished to find the very books that had caused her to flee, their words had echoed in her head for months. The Cupid and Psyche book was on top, followed by what looked like four others in the series.

Sighing in annoyance but unable to help herself, Sam picked up the book and started to read, mouthing the words and sounding out the long ones. When it only took four hours, the time of the flight to Denver, she grinned, proud of herself.

At the airport gift shop, she asked if they had a dictionary then bought it after the bored woman pointed out the dusty small paperback. By the time her jet arrived back in Hawaii, Sam was convinced that where she had gone wrong was that she hadn't loved Jason, no she had loved Sonny...

_

Family members were gathered at residences around town, eating Christmas dinner, Jason was talking to Steven who was not sure how to tell his family what he had to. Finally he pulled Elizabeth off to the side while their father was cooking dinner. "I need to tell you something but I need you to stay calm and not kill me."

"Unless you invited Carly or Sam for dinner, why would I want to kill you?" she teased then seeing him flushing she said "Steven?"

"I uh, I didn't mean to but I kissed Maxie Jones last night at the hospital party." he confessed, his face bright red as he stuttered through the details.

Sighing, she sat down then looked at him. "Do you like her, as in wanting more than just a night or two? She is young, Steven. Fifteen years younger than you."

"I know, trust me, it is all I can think about." he said looking miserable. "I don't know when it turned from annoyance to attraction but it did. I just need to know what you think."

"If you have feelings for her, and take it slow, it is your business. But otherwise, don't hurt her. She has been hurt enough in her life. I get that now." she said then asked him if he had talked to the blond yet.

"Yes, last night when she helped me wrap up some presents." he replied. "She was as shocked as I was. I uh, we are going to talk to Mac. Make him understand that this isn't just a fly by night sort of thing."

"Then I wish you luck." she said then watched him leave and seeing a shadow asked "Jason, why are you hiding in the hallway?"

Entering, he closed the door then locked it. "We don't have time for this, we will be lucky if we have five minutes before the boys come looking for us." she warned when he moved to where she was sitting and knelt on the floor like he had dozens' of time before when kissing her.

"We have time for this, at least I am hoping." he said moving closer. "Elizabeth, I might be pushing things a bit faster than you might like, but I love you, and would like nothing more than to make our family legal. Please, marry me, be my wife, live with me until we are old and gray.."

Sliding off the bed so that she was in front of the knelling man, she said "What happens when we are old and gray, are you planning on trading me in for a younger model."

"No, wait, is that a yes." he asked his hands pulling out the ring in his pocket.

"Yes, that is a yes." she said then just as they started to kiss, they heard their eldest saying "Oh gross, Aidan cover your eyes, they are kissing again."

Looking to where their son was standing in the door of their bathroom, Elizabeth said "How did you get in, we locked the door."

"Not the one from the bathroom to the hallway." reported their son who grinned and said "Does that mean you are going to marry daddy?"

"Yes, it does. but-" Trying to stop him, she said to the man in front of her. "I think the town crier is going to spread the news before we have even managed a kiss."

"That's fine." he said as he eased her back onto their bed, "Let him, it will keep our guests occupied long enough for us to do a heck of a lot more than kiss."

Elizabeth found herself lying on her bed, half naked as Jason suddenly came up from where he had been kissing his way down her stomach, hurried to the bathroom. Calling out her reminder that they had decided to stop using condoms, she was surprised when he returned, tossed his shirt onto the floor then said he was locking the door in the bathroom before climbing onto the bed and dragging her into a kiss...

When they finally rejoined their family both of them blushing, Jason looked around as the boys were climbing into their chair, as Jeff smacked Elizabeth's hand as she tried to steal a piece of ham. Seeing the ring sparkling on her ring finger, all he could do was thank god for giving him one last chance to be with his family to finally have his dreams come true.

Kissing Elizabeth after covering Cam's eyes, he leaned down and said Merry Christmas and can we get married on New Years Day?

_

At the Scorpio residence, Maxie drew John off to the corner and asked if he minded stepping outside for a moment with her. Once there she asked "Hey, when you found out about my sister, suddenly it was like you hated me. Do you blame me for Georgie's death?"

Looking at the girl he had been friends with, he leaned against the side of the house and then down at the newly shoveled walk and then said "No, its just, I never saw the resemblance to her, not until that day at the penthouse. Now, every time I look at you, I see her. I see her anger because I couldn't tell her the truth. I see her fear when she believed I was a criminal. I see her pain when I said I had to walk away if she couldn't accept my secrets."

"Oh John." Rubbing his arm, she looked at the man then said with a slight laugh. "You know, Georgie was the good girl, the one who always took care of everyone else. It's funny but finding out about the two of you, it kind of explains the last six months before we thought she died at Diego's hands. She seems to always be missing, always off dealing with something, then she would just suddenly pop up either upset or very happy."

Seeing him looking at her, she said "Yes, there were moments when she was just happy. I remember one day coming home, she was sitting in her window, looking up at the stars, her head resting against the glass. I remember in spite of her still being angry with me about Lucky, talking about getting a second chance at love in spite our mistakes."

Then she added "She asked me if she was arrogant that night, if she thought she was better than other people. I remember telling her no, that she was one of the nicest people I had ever met and I wasn't being biased because she was my sister. She laughed then said that she wasn't always nice, that she had hurt someone who didn't deserve it because she thought she knew better than them. At the time I thought she was talking about Dillon or even god forbid Lulu. Now, now I think she was talking about you."

John looked up at the clouds in the night sky then said "I still feel her, here, in my heart. Its why in spite of how bad things are, I can go on, for Andrew. The part that bothers me was that she was at that Ball, she was there."

"We argued that night." Maxie told him. "Then she seemed upset about something. Later on, she uh, she had this look on her face of defeat. When we were safe, I remember she seemed a bit upset, a bit hurt. I hate to say it, but my guess would be that was because she saw you with Lulu."

"I know it is because of that." he said sadly. "I went through some of Trevor's old files, he never knew who she was, thank god. If he had, if he had figured it out, he would have killed her. I never understood until recently how he pushed me towards Lulu. He saw what I didn't, that Lulu was an escape. One he could control. Now, now I have to let go, but it is hard, Maxie. I see her in you, in our son. I walk around this town, wondering what she thought of things."

"What do you mean?" she asked even as she shivered in the cold.

"I was at the hospital talking to Elizabeth and saw one of the candy strippers and I knew she had been one from Robin, I couldn't help wondering what she had done, what she had thought while working there. Then there is Kelly's. Andrew loves it there, and I think that is because it is a part of his mom. The docks, there are lots of places I wish I knew what she thought about."

Hugging him, she looked at the troubled eyes and said "I have something, a regular diary, there are some things, Dillon is in there. But would you like it?"

"No, keep it. I don't want to take your memories away." he said then went inside to where Andrew and Emma were playing. Watching his son while the others were teasing Mac about the new head of student nursing he had gone on a date with. Soon they were gathered at the table, Patrick saying the prayer just as there was a soft knock on the door.

Mac opened it and said "Mike?

"I am sorry but may I come in." said the smiling older man. When the gambler entered, he said "Mac, I had a visitor at the diner today. We opened it for a while so that those without families would have a place to go for their dinner. Someone came in that I need to tell you about."

"Did you call the station?" he asked worried someone had created some sort of scene.

With another smile the man said "No, no, nothing like that. They just came in and sat down. Ordered dinner then was a bit affronted when she was told by the waitress there was no charge, said they didn't need charity. Created enough of a problem for Mary to come and get me."

"I don't understand, why are you telling me this ?" he asked looking back at his family only to see the man seemed almost excited. "Mike, what is it."

"This person was looking around the diner, said it wasn't what they had pictured. Then showed me a slightly out of scale version of what the diner used to look, then asked me if I knew her." When he saw the stillness other than the two children, he let the tears of happiness fall. "Mac, Mac it was Georgie."

Maxie's hand shook as she held it to her mouth, then looked over first at her father, then at John who was already heading out the door. "Mac, I told her yes, that her name was Georgie. That her name was Georgie Jones and she had worked there for years but before I could stop her, she thanked me then left saying she had one more stop to make."

Mac thanked the man, actually hugging Sonny Corinthos father, Patrick looked at the children then the food and said "You all go look for her, I will take care of the kids."

Soon they split up. Mac heading to the station, Robin calling Elizabeth and Jason while Maxie went straight to the hospital. John sat down in his car, then called Mac. "Where, where should I go?"

"Try the high school, then PCU, also the docks." the man stated even as he put out a call to all his patrol cars on the streets.

At the hospital, Maxie talked to Epiphany who was a bit concerned about the blond when she asked if she had seen Georgie. Calling Steven over at the Webber house, she listened then said she would be on the lookout while Steven went to see if Maxie needed help.

John checked down by the docks, then was on his way to the high school when he realized they had forgotten one place she might go to and turned, driving back towards the Scorpio house, he pulled in and went inside, explaining to Patrick why he was back. Sitting with Andrew, he watched as his son ate the small pieces of ham, his back tense, certain that this was going to be where Georgie showed up.

Robin went to all the places she could think of, including the Quartermaine mansion, no luck. At the Scorpio house, Patrick was feeding Emma and talking to John when he heard a knock at the door. Seeing the hope yet fear in John's eyes, he went to answer it.

Opening it he looked at the young woman wearing the heavy winter parka and then he said "Georgie?"

"I think so, do you know me?" said the girl who heard a young voice shout Mommy then found herself knocked down as a dark haired little boy started to ask a million questions.

Instinctively hugging him, she looked up at the other man, the man with the eyes that had haunted her for months, maybe years and said "Who are you?" 

The end. Sort of.


	2. Chapter 2

Christmas Miracle is a continuation of the Easter Miracle where Jeff Webber returns Jake to Elizabeth and Jason. This is the second half with Georgie returning to Johnny and her son as well as Maxie getting together with her choice and Sam coming back to town. 

**THE CHRISTMAS MIRACLE  
>Part One<strong>

The young woman ignored the people around her, listening to the music on the iPod, hoping and praying that this time someone would know who she was. She had had dreams for weeks, since the moment she had woken up in the hospital with no idea of her name nor of how she had ended up there.

All she knew was that she had a son, a little boy and no one knew what had happened to him. She had spent the last nine months searching and praying that somehow she would find him. She hadn't even really had a place to start because no one in that small town hospital had known who she was when she woke up. They hadn't even been positive she was an American citizen at first since they had been close to the Mexican border.

Her fingerprints had yielded nothing when ran, her photo sent out to the various border towns had only drawn a few nut jobs but no one had known anything about her. She had been shocked when they handed her the bag with all her worldly good in it.

All she had had were some clothes, badly torn and a key. The nurse had said it looked like a locker key and it had been. She had tracked down the locker at a nearby mall and inside had found a purse. Seeing the obviously fake ID, she had wondered how she had known it was fake but that wasn't what had surprised her. There was a wallet loaded with pre-paid debit cards, when she had called she had been told each card contained almost ten thousand dollars on them.

Shocked but not really excited because she had been looking for anything to explain what had happened to her child. To the little boy with the easy smile and who according to the back of one of the picture was named Andrew, Andrew Smith. A name that matched the one on her fake ID's.

Maria Smith. She didn't feel like a Maria, not that she knew what a Marie felt like but it really just didn't suit her. She had quickly learned that she spoke enough Spanish to understand those around her as she looked through the only other item in her bag. A book with pictures and names of things that had no connection to one another.

Finding things crossed off and with a list of reasons, 'Maria' went through them while planning on picking up a cell phone. There was an ex next to the name Brook, with the notation that the number she had connected with it had belonged to someone named Alice.

The name Sage had a question mark, same with the name Serena? Even while she tried to figure out why she had drawn a picture of a bird next to her. There were several other names including a former national known model. That one had an ex through it along with the words dead end.

Seeing the name of what looked like someone's initials, she went to find a phone book. Not getting anyplace she gave a sigh as she saw it was almost nightfall. Then seeing a number for the toll free directory she called and was soon given a number.

Calling it, she heard "The Offices of ELQ will remained closed for Thanksgiving." Then came a spiel about how important her call was to them followed by the information that their headquarters was located in Port Charles New York.

Stumped a bit because that sounded familiar, she went back through her notes and found Port Charles was exed off and had a been a while ago, before her latest memory loss. Seeing the number next to it, she had called only to be told that number had been disconnected and that there was no forwarding number.

Seeing a another number with the same area code, she called it only to be told that the Jackal was unavailable to take her call at the moment. Trying again, she asked to speak to the Jackal only to be told by some woman that the Jackal was unavailable at the moment and to try again later.

Getting shown by the woman with the name badge how to use the computer, Georgie sat down and googled the names on her list. She found nothing too familiar until she typed in Kelly's Diner. What came up next was a whole serious of articles about a diner in a small town in upstate New York, a town she had already came across.

Deciding that the answers were in this Port Charles, she went to arrange a flight then was told she would need ID at the airport. Thanking the woman, she later called back and canceled the flight, tried the only available train service and once again found she needed ID. Not needing it at the bus terminal, she had quickly purchased a ticket and was on her way from El Paso, Texas.

A day and a half later, she got off the bus in Chicago and was a bit woozy. Getting a hotel room, she didn't leave for almost two weeks after having caught some sort of bug and having to no one to take care of her; self medicated from the local Walgreens store.

The only good thing was she had discovered enough medical knowledge to know what to take and what the names on the bottles meant. A bit weak she was soon on her way again, but this time taking small trips, worried that she would get sick again before arriving at her destination.

John woke up from his nightmare and trying to shake the fear it had created, pulled on his sweats and went down to the living room. Standing at the window, looking out over the city of Port Charles, all he could do is wish for things to be different. The problem was he had learned at the age of eight that dreams and wishes rarely came true.

First there was his father, a man who had never been the picture of stability, he had loathed John for taking away his mother's time and attention, yet had claimed him as an heir, as the person he wanted to follow in his demented footsteps.

Looking back, John found himself recalling the nightmare his childhood had been, then the even larger nightmare his teenager years became. Finally his twenties when he had tried to save himself only to be forced back into that house by that ambitious bastard Trevor Lansing.

But those type thoughts always led to memories of his anger, his pain and how he had been planning on ending things until a soft and kind voice at the other end of a phone line had given him a reason to live.

Karen, or rather Georgie had talked to him, about nothing and everything. The night she had seen him trying to take the pills, and how she hadn't forced him to stop, how she hadn't argued with him, not really she had just looked him in the eyes and asked him not to do it. When they had met face to face that fateful night his heart had known that she was the one for him. Too bad he also knew that that love would never be allowed to flourish.

Walking away from the window, determined not to think of her, of what happened next, John thought about Claudia and how his need for revenge against Sonny had almost cost him his life, had almost cost him the time he had had with his son. Seeing the picture that Suzanne had had, he had been grateful when Robin had had copies made and a slightly larger one created for Andrew and him. Seeing it there on the mantle was his daily reminder of how being a coward had cost him so much.

Touching the picture, his fingers tracing the light dusting of freckles on Georgie's nose, he once again repeated the vow he had made the moment he had learned about his son. That he wouldn't become like his father, like his sister.

It had taken strength to not make Suzanne pay for stealing Georgie away from Andrew, away before John had had a chance to apologize for his mistakes. To ask for another chance, to make things right between them.

Learning Suzanne was dead, he had been angry with her killer because now his only chance of finding her body, of bringing Georgie home was gone. Then had come acceptance that some things were just not meant to be and his being allowed to mourn, to know where she was was not going to happen.

Hearing a soft cry, John hurried up the stairs to where Andrew was crying softly. The little boy would sometimes wake up in the night, wanting his mother. All John could do was hold him while Andrew cried himself back to sleep, whimpering that he wanted his mommy to come and get him.

Kissing the sweaty forehead, John considered bringing him into his bed. Remembering that that was the bed he had used Lisa in, that he had slept with Olivia to try to forget memories in, knowing he would never do that to his child, to take him to that room where he had spent the last few years trying to debase himself. John grimaced then after Andrew was breathing deeply went downstairs and got on his computer.

The very next morning, an army of men showed up to take care of his requests. The room was repainted, the old furniture taken off and burnt, then what he had spent part of the night choosing was delivered and set up in spite of it being just before the holiday.

When Andrew had woken up, then tried to dress himself for his play date with the Morgan boys and his cousin Emma, John had to try and get him to change out of the blue striped pajama shirt he was wearing with the jeans and then convince him that his socks had to match.

When Andrew had looked at him then asked why, he had sat there for a moment, searching his brain for an answer that would work but getting nowhere finally let the green and red socks go. Knocking on the door of the huge stone house, he was amused when Morgan opened the door wearing what looked like tinsel.

"Don't say it." he was warned but before John could even try his son was unzipping his heavy winter coat, tossing it at his dad, then he sat down and untied his shoes while Elizabeth was walking over. A bit worried since the beautiful nurse hadn't been too happy with Jason and him taking the boys on a tour of the construction site the other day, he knew he had avoided a lecture when she saw the socks on Andrew.

"The boys are upstairs, Andrew." she said as soon as the shoes were kicked off and he had greeted them, waving goodbye at his dad. John saw her smile, then when she went to straighten up the shoes, asked "Can I ask for some help?"

As they moved over to the great room where he could see the tinsel had came from, he told Elizabeth the problem. "John, honestly it isn't a big deal. As long as he is warm, let him wear the pajama top. Parents for years have been fighting this battle, it's like the socks, clearly he won that round."

"But-" starting to protest that he didn't want anyone to think he was a bad parent, he was stopped by Elizabeth.

"It doesn't make you a bad parent. Kids sometimes need to explore what they like, what is acceptable. Trust me, I went through this with Cam. I swear that little boy would have worn every single piece of Chuggin Charlie he owned every single day. When it's bad is the day you are called down to day care because your three year old son has had an accident and you forgot to pack a clean pair of Chuggin Charlie underwear and he insists on going commando rather than wear the ones in his diaper bag."

Jason laughed, he couldn't resist then felt his smile go away because if he hadn't been a coward he would have been there for that time period only for Elizabeth to laugh as well then tell John. "Trust me, when your son then tells you the next morning that he enjoyed not wearing underwear and isn't going to wear them ever again. That is when you worry."

John got what she was trying to teach him, then looked at the stairs before around at the tree and said "I would have thought the kids would have helped with the tree."

"They did but they grew bored." she said with a shrug. "Cam wants to help when we do the staircase and Jake just wants to help with the ornaments. That's fine, I have the big kid helping so in a way its better for now so that no one gets stepped on. Did you get a tree?"

"Yes, Maxie insisted and Robin and she put it up while I was gone one day. It is a bit elaborate for just Andrew and I, especially since we are going over to the Scorpio house for the day." he told them. "I should go, but when do you want me to come back for Andrew?"

Elizabeth said they were in for the rest of the day to just come in time to eat dinner with them.

When the nurse let Maxie Jones in after an eventful hour and a half that had included the Jack children joining them, a tower falling down and a quick and argumentative visit from Nik Cassadine, she was surprised when the blond asked if she could speak to her about John.

"Elizabeth, we used to be at least friendly, now its like he can't stand to be around me." she told the nurse as she twisted a piece of tinsel in her hands nervously. "I would love to spend more time with Andrew, but unless Robin picks him up, it's like he doesn't trust me with my sisters' son. Jax trusts me more with his kids, heck you trust me more."

"Have you tried to talk to him about it?" she asked while looking at the blond who had matured so much over the last eight months.

"He won't talk, I practically have to chase him down to say hello." she explained then added. "Matt before he left told me to give it time, but how much time and why?"

"I don't know, John hasn't ever mentioned anything about not wanting you around Andrew, so are you sure your not imagining it?" she asked only for the other woman to sit down, think things through then say slowly say no, there is definitely an issue I don't know anything about.

"Talk to him, I mean Maxie you didn't relent when it came to my brother until he agreed to work with you to find out who Jenson was." she pointed out. "I grew up with Steven, I know how stubborn he is, if you can deal with him, then John shouldn't be too big of a challenge."

Grinning a moment as she recalled how Steven had finally given in to her stalking and had helped her find out that the little boy who had died had been related to Jasper Jacks, she frowned a bit because that was another man who had recently taken to avoiding her. Maybe her new perfume was annoying people?

With a sigh she said she had better get going. "Kate has a working limited hours since it is the holiday season but I still seem to be behind."

When the blond had left with Joss and an excited Morgan who was looking forward to seeing his brother Michael who was sure to be at the hospital for Joss' check up, Maxie drove over to the hospital trying to find a way to avoid answering Morgan's questions about his mother truthfully.

When she saw the heavily pregnant Carly off to the side, waiting to hear about her daughter, Maxie saw her looking around as if hoping to find someone who would feel sorry for her. When no one did, when even Bobbie seemed stiff and unresponsive to her greetings, Carly ceased her behavior while the transplant doctor and Steven Webber went over the young toddlers information with those concerned.

"So far so good, it doesn't look like there is any concern with the tissue being rejected, she seems to be handling the drugs well. Mr. Jacks, we will need to see your daughter again in a month." with that the man smiled at the little girl then at her father before shaking Steven's hand and heading towards the door.

Carly wanted to say see, she wasn't harmed by what she had chosen only she had learned the hard way and just left the hospital, walking past Lady Jane who was more than likely here to hear the results.

John finished his meeting, then went to the store, finding the last few items he had wanted to get Andrew. After they had been gift wrapped, he took them to the car and tried to figure out what to get for his host and his son's grandfather.

Maxie had been easy, a gift certificate to the spa at the hotel. Robin who seemed to devour medical mystery books, the same. Emma he had found the same kind of Fisher Price Wagon he was getting for Andrew and of course Patrick, his wife had said not to bother with but he had still gotten the man a pass for the local Track day.

That only left Mac, the man who along with his family had helped him transition from single man to single father. The nanny was only part time, he had intended for her to be more permanent but after finding he didn't want anyone else raising his son, he had hired a different woman one who was more housekeeper than nanny.

Finally finding a set of knives since he had learned the man loved to cook, John was walking out of the mall when he saw the pendant in the window of the antique shop. Stopping inside, he asked to see the piece and was soon handed the ivory cameo. "It's lovely. One of the nicest pieces we have ever carried."

John's nail traced the delicate casting and found himself imagining it on a light green ribbon and around Georgie's neck when what he was thinking hit him. He was considering buying a Christmas present a very expensive one at that for a woman who would never receive it. Starting to hand the box back, he looked down then at the woman and said "Do you know where I could get some ribbon to hang it on?"

"We have some that is already attached to the j-hook closures, would you like to take a look?" she asked a bit surprised that a young man like this was so intent on the rather old fashioned cameo.

"A light green, preferably." he said moving to the glass counter. When she came out with a few different choices, John asked how to hook the cameo onto it and was soon shown how it worked. "Then I would like the green, the light pink and maybe the bronze colored choker right there."

Wrapping it up after taking the young man's credit card, she told him that whoever she was, she was a very lucky girl. Nodding at the woman, unable to even admit out loud that he was now worried he was as insane as his father had ever been, John took the small bag and hurried to his car.

John was pulling into the garage, torn between wanting to slap Damien Spinelli upside the head and wanting to boil the man in hot oil. Things had been going so well at the hospital Christmas party. Spinelli had made quite a scene then in an argument with Maxie had tripped Santa Claus aka Mac Scorpio.

Then there had been the scene of Carly trying to talk to her family who looked upset at verbal attacks on Elizabeth, then her claim that the nurse was keeping Jason from helping him. Then had come the Davis girls trying to keep Sam from attacking Elizabeth and Jason.

His mind going back to the disaster, John saw Jason Morgan stiffen then whisper something in Elizabeth's ear before he walked off from his family. Getting Robin's attention, he asked her to keep an eye on Andrew while he went to see if Morgan needed help, John was soon hurrying down the hallway.

He shouldn't have bothered when he saw Jason disconnect from a clingy Sam McCall who was telling him how she had been waiting for him to give up his illusions of how he wanted this boring life that according to her Elizabeth was foisting on the man.

"Sam, go back to Hawaii or better yet, find what is missing in your life and go get it, as long as you understand, I am not bored with my life. This, this life is the one I have dreamed of for years. What you don't get what you have never got was that while there is danger involved in my job, I never wanted it to touch my home life. I don't dream of coming home and rehashing some stupid gun fight, I dream of going home, curling up with my wife and talking about trips to Italy, about our children, about what is for dinner than evening and knowing it didn't come from a take out container."

Sam stiffened, not liking the inference then seeing her sisters approaching said "Jason, I will be waiting, I promise that the moment you are ready."

The other woman had quickly left, then at the end of the hall had given Jason a smile then called out, "I will wait forever."

"What is it going to take for her to get the picture?" asked John as he saw the woman enter the stairwell. "Uh, you should know, I have a meeting with the families, on New Years. To discuss my father."

Jason nodded then was soon distracted when his sons hurried down the hallway along with their mother. Elizabeth's nose wrinkled as she smelt the cheap perfume that could have only come from Sam. John stepped back and watched as the Morgans left as he heard something from the supply closet.

He was a bit amused to see Maxie glaring at Steven Webber as she left the room then snarled something at the chief of staff. Walking over to John, she asked what time he was coming over to the Scorpio house for dinner. "We should be there around five thirty."

"See you then." John quickly started down the hallway but stopped just out of sight as he listened to Maxie telling Steven that she wasn't going away and that he might want to think about dealing with his doubts. "I have learned time is too short to lose out on what you need. I have enough regrets when it comes to those I love, er, care about. I am not walking away."

"Maxie, there is fifteen years between us." growled the doctor who then went for the jugular and tossed out. "Besides, while my sister has forgiven you for the past, honestly do you really think she has forgotten your part in the Lucky mess, in the Sam mess?"

When the blond ran past him crying, John considered talking to her, but seeing the tears was giving him echoes of another fight between two people and how it had been the last conversation between the two of them. Returning to his son, John thanked Robin then said he would see her later.

At home, he read the Christmas story to his son, then helped him place out the cookies and milk before carrying him up to bed, his heart bruised when Andrew asked him if he thought Santa would bring him what he wanted for Christmas since he had been such a good boy that year. "Yes, I think Santa will get you everything you want."

"Okay, night daddy." Once the night light was on, John went to his newly redecorated room, then stood at the window, his head resting against the glass watching the North Star and knowing that he had lied to his son. While Andrew would get all the material goods he wanted for Christmas, he could still hear him telling Elizabeth that he wanted his mommy to come home for Christmas.

In bed, he spent the night tossing and turning, trying to piece together the fanciful dreams that were now invading his waking moments. He walked down stairs, stood in front of the picture on the mantle, then carrying it back up with him, placed it on the nightstand and was soon fast asleep.

The girl on the bus was asleep with her head against the window when she felt the stillness that indicated they had stopped. Waking up just a bit more, she looked at the young dark haired girl sitting next to her and asked. "Where are we?"

"Watertown." she said with a yawn as she thought about the three more hours she was going to be on the bus until they hit the border. "Where are you going?"

"I am getting off at the next stop." she replied as she reached into her purse and pulled out the facial wipe and cleaned the sleepy bugs out of her eyes. "Another forty minutes."

"Wow, so you will make it home for Christmas. Cool." said the girl who then went back to her music while the woman grew impatient as the bus soon pulled out of the terminal, the driver announcing that the next stop was Port Charles, New York.

Arriving in the snowy town, the unknown Maria exited the bus and hopped into a taxi. "I uh, I am looking for this hotel."

Seeing she wanted the Ramada, he drove her over, then was surprised when she asked him a series of questions. "Oh, the diner is down near the docks. Yes, there is a coffee shop down there but a young woman such as yourself should stay away. It is connected to the mob."

"Okay, thank you." she said frowning a bit as she went in and was soon locked in her hotel room. Showering and changing into fresh clothes, 'Maria' found herself going over the notes she had found in her purse.

Pulling out the local phone book, she check on some of the names, nothing matched except there was a Webber, but the man who answered didn't sound familiar. "Sorry to have bothered you sir."

Steven hung up, then looked at his clock. Showering and heading over to Elizabeth's house, he was almost in the driveway when he got the news about Carly. Inside, he let Jason know but the man said she was going to have to deal with what she had done.

Then calling his mother, hesitated then called the number Bernie had gotten for him. "Carly is in labor."

"Thank you." said the tall blond on the other end before hanging up and turning to his wife. "Carly is in labor."

"Wow, are you ready to deal with her?" asked the woman who then said "She isn't going to be happy when she finds out the truth, is she."

"Lets go tell her. Her family is already aware that she is not getting to keep the baby, they just don't know that I am bringing my son or daughter home, away from the insanity that is Carly's life. Michael is going to be fine, now that he is with my family."

Nodding she said "AJ, you learned from your mistakes. Who knows, someday Michael will be able to forgive you. He now knows the truth, about a lot of things."

"I just wish I could have spared him the pain." he replied sadly as they grabbed their coats and walked towards the front desk of the Ramada just missing the young woman in the room across the hall from them.

Around town, children opened gifts, parents and lovers all thanking on another, as the holiday was one of good cheer. Jason and Elizabeth were kissing while Cam was talking a mile a minute with his Uncle Steven. His grandpa Jeff was on the phone clearly annoying his first ex-wife with the news that he was not sharing his grandchildren that evening.

Monica was not happy, she had had the boys and their parents Christmas Eve and while she had been invited to the house, she had ended up at GH, working. Telling Jeff he could call back later and rub it in she went to see what was going on as Carly was brought in on a gurney.

Meanwhile 'Maria' had walked the short distance to Kelly's diner and sat down in the sparsely filled room to order something to eat. "Whatever the special is today. Do you have chili?"

The bland but efficient waitress gave her a smile and said "We are famous for our chili, but today we just have a choice of ham or turkey, scalloped or mashed potatoes, green beans, sweet potatoes,..."

Ordering then taking a look around, she was confused. While the outside looked like the Kelly's in her drawings, the inside was completely different. After eating her meal and finishing off the slice of mince pie, she was a bit upset at being told that there was no charge.

"I don't need charity." she said stiffly. When she kept trying to pay, the waitress fled to the back and told her boss she needed his help. After explaining, she saw Mike say he would deal with things.

Approaching the table where the girl with the dark blond hair was staring out the window, he said "My name is Mike, I am the manager, can I help you?"

He gasped when the woman turned around, shocked to see Georgie Jones, not only alive but looking at him like he was a stranger.

Taking the drawing, before he could say anything, she said "This place is familiar, but inside it is different then the one in my drawing." When she handed him the crudely drawn schematic, he looked down, still not believing what he was seeing.

"Of course, Kelly's was remodeled after the fire." he replied, his mind barely functioning as he took in the long thought dead young woman standing in front of him.

Marie felt like she knew the man even if his name wasn't familiar. "Do you know me, do you know who I am?"

"Yes, of course I do, your name is Georgie, Georgie Jones. You used to work here while in college." Mike didn't know what was going on, but the lack of recognition and emptiness he saw in her eyes was shocking.

Before he could stop her, she suddenly gasped, then looked around, as if in shock then ran out the door saying she had to be someplace, that there was someone she needed to see.

Mike started to call Bobbie, then remembered that Carly was in labor. Calling the police station almost desperately wanting a drink, he asked the desk sergeant for Mac Scorpio then said it was personal. "Sir, he is at home with his family today."

Telling the waitresses that he had to run out, Mike grabbed his keys and his winter coat before quickly heading to the Scorpio residence. Knocking on the door, he found himself going over things in his mind, wanting to be as clear as possible and yet worried that being without alcohol had pickled his brain.

John was bundling up Andrew who had slipped upstairs to his room earlier, then had come back down holding something. Seeing the lumpy wrapped present, John looked at the lone present still under the tree and went over to his son.

"Daddy, can we bring Mommy's present to the other house?" he asked. John didn't have the heart to try and explain yet again that Mommy wasn't coming home. Mac had asked him why when they had discussed it and the man had sighed at John's response.

"John, for Andrew's sake, you need to let this go. I know what you are feeling, I feel like that deep down, after all the people in this town who have come back from the dead, do you really think that I don't wonder why we didn't get our miracle. But Suzanne took that away from us and for Andrew's sake, after the holiday, please talk to someone."

Now, he went to the closet and pulled out the shopping bag with the presents for the Scorpio family and watched as Andrew carefully placed his inside then scrambled under the tree for the only gift underneath.

The young woman in the heavy parka with a hood ran away from the diner, her mind filling with images, seeing the rusting boat on the docks just created more of the quick shots that were filling her head.

Stopping outside the entrance of the hospital she ducked behind a tree when she heard a loud woman talking to a dark haired man. Not sure how or why she knew to hide, Marie fled yet again her mind reeling as things flashed in front of her eyes without explanation, without names and .reasons, just pure emotion.

In the park, the cold was starting to get to her and something was telling her to go home. Not even thinking on it, she ran past a geek sitting on a bench, mumbling to himself about his goddess and his Maximista. Spinelli looked up, not sure who that had been, but feeling like he should have been paying better attention.

When Georgie noticed she was no longer in the park, she looked around the middle class residential neighborhood of neatly kept homes and discreet holiday decorations, not sure why she was there even as she walked up and down the street.

The sound of a plow followed by cars driving down the opposite side of the street had her looking up, then back down as the hood of her parka covered her face. Soon stopped in front of a two story brink house house with an attached garage, she saw the number then pulled out her handy little note book.

Seeing the drawing, she quickly walked away, not ready to deal with the emotions exploding in her heart. Down the street, she was already making plans to call for a cab or to walk back to the hotel, she was annoyed to realize she had come to a dead end.

Retreating, she was soon walking past the house that was bothering her so much. Now there was another car there, an upscale sedan with tinted windows. She was on the sidewalk opposite the house when she heard the sound of car.

Not knowing how she knew there was a path, the young woman slipped between the two house and followed bootprints in the snow until she was at a small alcove with a outside bench behind the Tudor looking house.

Out of the wind, she sat there, her mind trying to come to grips with her fear and why she couldn't bring herself to knock at the door and get answers to the rest of her questions.

Like who was Georgie, and what happened to her and what happened to the little boy in her dreams. And who was the man who was haunting her, the man with the accusing eyes, asking her how she had managed to loss their son? And why hadn't she told him the truth?

John and Andrew had no sooner arrived at the house when Mac explained that the presents were to be opened later, that dinner was going to be done earlier than expected. Andrew was soon playing with Emma while Patrick watched and Robin helped her uncle.

When Maxie pulled him outside and questioned John about his avoiding her, he quietly explained what was going on in his heart after hearing the pain in her voice when she asked. "Hey, when you found out about my sister, suddenly it was like you hated me. Do you blame me for Georgie's death?"

Looking at the girl he had been friends with, he leaned against the side of the house and then down at the newly shoveled walk and then said "No, its just, I never saw the resemblance to her, not until that day at the penthouse. Now, every time I look at you, I see her. I see her anger because I couldn't tell her the truth. I see her fear when she believed I was a criminal. I see her pain when I said I had to walk away if she couldn't accept my secrets."

"Oh John." Rubbing his arm, she looked at the man then said with a slight laugh. "You know, Georgie was the good girl, the one who always took care of everyone else. It's funny but finding out about the two of you, it kind of explains the last six months before we thought she died at Diego's hands. She seems to always be missing, always off dealing with something, then she would just suddenly pop up either upset or very happy."

Seeing him looking at her, she said "Yes, there were moments when she was happy. I remember one day coming home, she was sitting in her window, looking up at the stars, her head resting against the glass. In spite of her still being angry with me about Lucky, talking about getting a second chance at love in spite our mistakes."

Then she added "She asked me if she was arrogant that night, if she thought she was better than other people. I remember telling her no, that she was one of the nicest people I had ever met and I wasn't being biased because she was my sister. She laughed then said that she wasn't always nice, that she had hurt someone who didn't deserve it because she thought she knew better than them. At the time I thought she was talking about Dillon or even god forbid Lulu. Now, now I think she was talking about you."

John looked up at the clouds in the night sky then said "I still feel her, here, in my heart. Its why in spite of how bad things are, I can go on, for Andrew. The part that bothers me was that she was at that Ball, she was there."

"We argued that night." Maxie admitted to him. "Then she seemed upset about something. Later on, she uh, she had this look on her face of defeat. When we were safe, I remember she seemed a bit upset, a bit hurt. I hate to say it, but my guess would be that was because she saw you with Lulu."

"I know it is because of that." he said sadly. "I went through some of Trevor's old files, he never knew who she was, thank god. If he had, if he had figured it out, he would have killed her. I never understood until recently how he pushed me towards Lulu. He saw what I didn't, that Lulu was an escape. One he could control."

"Now, now I have to let go, but it is hard, Maxie. I see her in you, in our son. I was at the hospital talking to Elizabeth and saw one of the candy strippers and I knew she had been one from Robin, I couldn't help wondering what she had done, what she had thought while working there."

"Then there is Kelly's. Andrew loves it there, and I think that is because it is a part of his mom. The docks, there are lots of places I wish I knew what she thought about. I walk around this town, wondering what she thought of things."

Hugging him, she looked at the troubled eyes and said "I have something, a regular diary, there are some things, Dillon is in there. But would you like it?"

"No, keep it. I don't want to take your memories away." he said then went inside to where Andrew and Emma were playing. Watching his son while the others were teasing Mac about the new head of student nursing he had gone on a date with.

Soon they were gathered at the table, Patrick saying the prayer just as there was a soft knock on the door. Mac opened it and said "Mike?

"I am sorry but may I come in." said the smiling older man. When the gambler entered, he said "Mac, I had a visitor at the diner today. We opened it for a while so that those without families would have a place to go for their dinner. Someone came in that I need to tell you about."

"Did you call the station?" he asked worried that someone had caused some sort of scene. Then wondering why the man who he had barely spoken to about anything other than his daughter had come to his house on the holiday.

With another smile the man said "No, no, nothing like that. They just came in and sat down. Ordered dinner then was a bit affronted when she was told by the waitress there was no charge, said they didn't need charity. Created enough of a problem for Mary to come and get me."

"I don't understand, why are you telling me this ?" he asked looking back at his family only to see the man seemed almost excited. "Mike, what is it?"

"This person was looking around the diner, said it wasn't what they had pictured. Then showed me a slightly out of scale version of what the diner used to look, then asked me if I knew her." He was trying to give the cop all the information, worried he would forget something as he told the story.

When he saw the stillness of the adults other than the two children, he let the tears of happiness fall. "Mac, Mac it was Georgie."

Maxie's hand shook as she held it to her mouth, then looked over first at her father, then at John who was already heading out the door. "Mac, I told her yes, that her name was Georgie. That her name was Georgie Jones and she had worked there for years but before I could stop her, she thanked me then left saying she had one more stop to make."

Mac thanked the man, actually hugging Sonny Corinthos father, Patrick looked at the children then the food and said "You all go look for her, I will take care of the kids."

Soon they split up. Mac heading to the station, Robin calling Elizabeth and Jason while Maxie went straight to the hospital. John sat down in his car, then called Mac. "Where, where should I go?"

"Try the high school, then PCU, also the docks." the man stated even as he put out a call to all his patrol cars on the streets to be on the lookout for a young woman who resembled his late daughter, but to just observe not, apprehend.

At the hospital, Maxie talked to Epiphany who was a bit concerned about the blond when she asked if she had seen Georgie. Calling Steven over at the Webber house, she listened then said she would be on the lookout while Steven went to see if Maxie needed help of the medical kind.

John checked down by the docks, then was on his way to the high school when he realized they had forgotten one place she might go to and turned, driving back towards the Scorpio house, he pulled in and went inside, explaining to Patrick why he was back.

Sitting with Andrew, he watched as his son ate the small pieces of ham, his back tense, certain that this was going to be where Georgie showed up. Then trying to figure out what to say to her.

Robin went to all the places she could think of, including the Quartermaine mansion, no luck. At the Scorpio house, Patrick was feeding Emma and talking to John when he heard a knock at the door. Seeing the hope yet fear in John's eyes, he went to answer it.

Opening it he looked at the young woman wearing the light purple parka and then he said "Georgie?"

"I think so, do you know me?" said the girl who heard a young voice shout Mommy then found herself knocked down as a dark haired little boy started to ask a million questions.

Looking at the little boy from her photos, she felt a sense of home, even as she was bombarded with questions before she even got a chance to answer the first set.

Instinctively hugging him, she looked up at the other man, the man with the eyes that had haunted her for months, maybe years and said "Who are you?"

John found he couldn't speak, his throat convulsing as he looked at a healthy if amnesic. Knowing she was alive and seeing it were two very different things. His eyes were drawn to their son, then to his mother whose brown eyes were a sea of confusion.

Patrick stepped back, knowing that his presence was not needed. Taking Emma he went to the kitchen and quickly made a few calls. "Robin, she is here."

Hearing his wife gasp, he said "She is still without memories, but she is in the living room."

"I will be right there." she said making a u-turn as quickly as she could while Patrick informed her he would call everyone else. "Thank you."

Mac did something that normally he would never do, he turned on his blue lights to allow himself to speed through town as he hurried home. Patrick's call had him happier than he had been in a long time, he had wondered, believed, hoped but he wouldn't truly accept it until he saw Georgie for himself.

Steven was trying to calm Maxie down as her words tumbled over one another as she explained that no, she wasn't crazy that Mike Corbin had seen Georgie. When her phone rang, Steven who picked it up from the end table next to the sofa in the waiting room, then answered it. "Dr. Webber."

"Steven, tell Maxie that Georgie is here. She doesn't seem to have all her memories but she is home." said the neurosurgeon. Steven looked up at the blond pacing back and forth in front him and thanked him for the news. Hanging up, he said "Maxie, that was Patrick, Georgie is at the house."

"Oh god, oh god." with that the blond started to rush towards the door only to be stopped by the man. "What, look, I will talk to you later."

"You are in no condition to drive. I will take you." he said firmly while grabbing his keys.

Epiphany watched from the ER hub as her chief of staff gathered the upset blond girl, her purse and phone before leading her out the door. Sighing, she couldn't help feeling bad for the girl. Maxie had gotten her life together, but clearly she was losing it mentally as her thinking Georgie was alive proved.

Andrew looked up at his mommy then sighed with joy as he pressed himself against her. "Mommy, did Santa bring you home for me?"

Her heart turning over, Georgie looked down at her son, her heart racing as the little boy from her memories looked up at her so trustingly and answered "No, but if he had known where I was, I am sure he would have. Did you have a nice holiday?"

"Yes." he said with a wide smile "But if Santa didn't bring you, did Daddy bring you home. He said he would try and daddy usually fixes things for me."

John found himself the recipient of one of his son's hugs as the little boy let go of his mother and reached up to hug him. "Thank you daddy."

"Daddy?" asked the woman her eyes meeting the man in front of hers. Her eyes went from his dark hair to his odd colored green eyes, to the way the her son was clinging to him and needing answers asked "I uh, who are you, to me I mean?"

"I don't know." he said honestly. "I can tell you that to me, you are the woman I have loved for a very long time, I lost you twice now. Never again."

"Okay." she said simply accepting what he said. "Do you have a name?"

"John." he said finding himself reaching out for her hands while still holding their son. "Geo-"

"Georgie." There was a cold burst of air as the door opened and two people rushed in. Both suddenly stopped, neither knowing what to say to the woman in front of them.

The young woman looked at the older man with the silver hair and said "You, you are my dad, right?"

"Yes." he said his heart stopping as she smiled at him. His daughter was standing in front of him, looking healthy if a bit confused. Her eyes seemed to travel between her son and his father to him, then back, almost longing to run but she clearly didn't plan on going as she teared up at the way Andrew was looking at her

"I have seen you in my dreams. I am glad to finally meet you." she said then found herself hugged tightly as he pulled her into his arms. She felt safe, like this was a place she had been time and time again. From his arms she looked at the petite dark haired woman and said "Are you my sister? I see you in my dreams a lot, you and a really loud blond."

"We were raised as sisters." she said as Robin looked to where her husband was holding their little girl and then back at her cousin. "In truth, Uncle Mac raised me when we thought my parents were dead. Maxie is your sister."

"Is Maxie the loud blond." she asked intently while the blond who had entered thought the kitchen gasped, half in out rage and half in happiness. "I see her a lot, always shouting, always making a mess."

"That would be our Maxie." said a chuckling Steven who shut up when he saw all the eyes turning towards him.

"Do I know you?" she asked him taking in the blond hair, the green eyes and had a vague feeling of knowing but not knowing him.

"N-no, not really. I am the Chief of Staff at the hospital. My sister and you know each other." he said lamely. Turning he backed up, then went to where Patrick was standing holding onto Emma who was staring in fascination at the woman she had been told was dead.

Georgie if that was really her name felt lost but like she was home at the exact same time. Looking at the adults who were all staring at her shocked and then at the little boy who was staring at her like she hung the moon, all she wanted was to ask a million questions, but at the same time she wanted to do nothing more than hold him tightly.

"Mommy, I love you." said the little boy reaching for her. Taking him into her arms, she saw the blond whispering in the tall dark haired man's ear then nodding he left. Feeling the dark haired little boy rest his head on her shoulder, she closed her eyes, the joy she felt was so complete her heart ached.

"Why don't we give Georgie a few minutes with Andrew." said Patrick. He saw that the others really didn't want to but then as they looked at mother and son, all eased into the kitchen except Johnny who moved closer and kissed Andrew's head, then looked at Georgie.

"We will wait, but I-" The words didn't come, he was so close, she was inches away and everything in him was saying take her home, but the idea of taking her to that penthouse meant taking her away from her family. He couldn't do that.

"I am going no place." she said then sat down holding Andrew. "I missed you, my sweet little boy."

"I missed you too, Mommy." he said while John felt a lump in his throat as he walked into the kitchen.

In there, Patrick was suggesting they give Georgie some time, that they head home and open their remaining presents later. Mac thought about it, then sent Maxie up the back staircase while John went to grab the bag they had brought. Patrick went to the car and got the ones they had brought with them.

After sorting things out, the Drake family left, Robin reluctantly but knowing that right now, the best thing they could do for Georgie was to give her time. "Call me, let me know what happens."

"I will." said Mac who then had a thought but didn't say it out loud. He wanted Georgie to stay there with her family but at the same time he faced that for his daughter, she would want to be with Andrew and that meant going home with Johnny.

Johnny was standing in the doorway, his eyes on his family, the yearning in them clear to everyone in the room as Patrick placed his hand on his shoulder and squeezed hard before carrying his daughter to the car. Robin looked at Maxie who was now pacing back and forth, clearly desperately wanting to be speaking to her sister.

Hugging the blond, she whispered. "I know what you are feeling but remember, things are different. She is a mother first, a sister second. If you need me, call me."

"I will, I know, I just..." The blond looked into the room where her sister was speaking quietly to her son and said "Look, its beautiful, you know."

With a soft happy smile, Robin said "I know. Georgie is alive, she is with her son. Maxie, you know, there is a chance she will want to go with Johnny tonight."

Swallowing her pain, her selfishness, she said "I know. I am just happy she is here. This is like a dream come true."

Mac hugged his daughter then said to her. "We all are. John."

The man turned, clearly finding it hard to take his eyes off the tableau in the living room. "Did you say something Mac?"

"If Georgie decides to go home with you, is there a room set up?" he asked then saw the other man seemed confused. "You do know, she won't want to stay with you, don't you?"

Blinking, still confused then the answer came to him. Flushing he said "Mac, I would stay on the sofa. I know that things are going to take a lot of work. I am not foolish. At the same time, we I guess, need to talk. I am not walking away."

"I don't expect you to." he said with a smile at the other man then he said something that bothered the younger man. "I think you need to speak to Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?" he asked now truly confused.

"While Lucky Spencer went off the rails when he came back, she has been in the same position you are, she can help you deal with what you are feeling." he said quietly.

"Dad. There is a difference, Elizabeth was already in love with Jason. Johnny isn't in love with someone else." she said then frowning looked at John. "Unless, are you in love with someone else?"

"No, I think we both know that..." I am in love with your sister, he thought to himself. "Besides, we have a son."

Mac nodded then hearing his name being called, he turned to see his daughter looking a bit hesitant standing there with her son fast asleep. "Uh, is there someplace I can lay him down?"

"Here." Mac took the little boy and carried him upstairs to what had once been Georgie's room and laid her son down on what had been her bed. Returning downstairs he heard Georgie telling Maxie how she had come to arrive at the house.

"I just was drawn here." she said completing her story. Going to her bag, she pulled out her book and handed it to the blond. She could feel the eyes of the other man on her, they had never left her since she had arrived. "I would write down things, even if they didn't make sense to me."

Mac saw Maxie look at it then hand it to him, he read through the lists, then looked at his daughter. Seeing certain things crossed through, others where circled and as he looked at them he said "What about this one here, for Alice?"

"I called the number, the woman that answered said her name was Alice." Shrugging it off then needing answers because for some reason it had been the one number that stuck in her head. "I know that what happened to me, my original accident is connected to the this number. To someone who was living at that house."

"No, I mean you are wrong." said Maxie insistently as she explained about Diego Alcazar and her death.

Georgie frowned then said "I don't know how I know it, but I do know you are wrong."

Maxie started to protest but Mac put his hand on her arm and when she looked at him shook his head. He had always had some doubts about Diego Alcazar, even after hearing Elizabeth's story about what had happened during the time he had held her hostage.

"Georgie, do you know how you ended up where you did?" asked John.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled out the passports. "These were my original passports. I found them in a locker along with a set for my son and myself."

Johnny looked at them, they were fakes but good fakes and he knew EXACTLY what forger had created them, a man who had worked for the Zachara family and he knew where to locate him.

He was not surprised because he had know what Trevor had done. Still, he knew that he was missing some very big pieces and had since learning who Georgie really was had questions about her real death.

"I woke up in Mexico, with a bag, there was money in it and passports." she said then added. "A few weeks later, I was told I was pregnant. I came back to the states, gave birth in Galveston. The memory flashes began, I started looking for answers."

With that, her voice quivered as she said "One day, I took Andrew for a walk, I was working as a translator, there are a lot of companies down in Texas who pay very well for that. And the money I was given, there was quite a lot of it. Anyhow, one day I went for a walk, we came home, the apartment we were living in was trashed but there was also a bag that matched the first one."

"The first one?" asked Maxie.

"The bag with the passports and money. This one had money and several prepaid debit cards." she said quietly. "I was watching television and saw a special about Brenda Barrett and her children's safe place program. I felt like I knew her. I found an address and then Andrew and I flew to Italy."

"That was where Suzanne saw you." said Maxie while Johnny fought his instincts which were begging him to reach out and comfort her.

"The woman who shot me and stole my son? Yes." she said. "I was so stupid. I told her way too much. When she showed up, she tried to take my son, said she could arrange for him to have a better life. I at first felt so selfish, I mean yeah, I had money but at the same time I had no memories from before I ended up in Mexico. She tried to play me, but I looked at my son, laying in his crib asleep and knew that no matter what, I couldn't leave him."

Swallowing she said "She shot me, I woke up in a hospital in El Paso, Texas. At first I had no memories then I tracked down where the key I had went to. The answers started to come to me. Port Charles kept coming up."

"I ran into a woman the first time I came here, she didn't know me, but I would have sworn I knew her. I didn't like her, I felt ill, like I knew something I shouldn't have." she said softly.

"I began to question my memories, what was real and what I had dreamed. I came back when I looked some stuff up online. It told me to come here, I went to the diner, the same place I saw the woman the first time. She wasn't there this time, there was this man though. He gave me a name, hearing it, it gave me more memories. Which led me here."

"Oh Georgie." said Maxie reaching out and spontaneously hugging her sister. "I am so glad you are home."

"But what is home?" she asked her sister then looking at her father. "I don't really have the answer to that. At least apart from when it comes to my son."

"Then that is your answer, your son, our son is home." said Johnny. "Mac, we can't let Andrew sleep much longer, he won't sleep tonight."

"Let me get him." said Maxie knowing that she wasn't going to want to hear the next part.

Leaving she went up the stairs while downstairs Johnny looked at Georgie. "Andrew doesn't live here. Will you be okay staying with us?"

Their eyes meet, then Georgie reached out for his hands and said "I think so. I have such mixed emotions when I look at you, but deep down I feel safe."

Mac went to the kitchen, packed up one of the pies, gathered the gifts then looking into the living room went upstairs to his bedroom. At the back of his closet was a box, with gaily wrapped presents, they were a few years old, but he had placed them there, unable to do anything else with them.

Now, he took them down and out to the European luxury sedan, then put them in the back seat along with the rest of the items. Returning to the house, he saw Maxie handing Andrew to his father who looked at Mac with a guilty expression on his face.

Moving to the twosome while listening as Georgie and Maxie spoke, he said "Take care of her, I know that right now, what she needs is Andrew. I have a few very long calls to make tonight. I don't know if her parents will bother to come home, but you should be prepared just in case."

Georgie hugged the girl she knew as her sister then her father before telling him she would call him the next day. Georgie felt odd getting into the car then had a flash of something. "Why am I seeing a yellow hot rod in my memories? This car, it doesn't suit you." 

With a slight smile as her words reached him, Johnny said "Unfortunately the hot rod is gone, but I am building another. Its just right now, this is the safest car on the market and while I am driving Andrew around, I felt that was more important than my hyped up testosterone level." 

Looking at him, she said "I said something about the car and that to you, at some point, didn't I?" 

"Yes." he said then looking back saw Andrew's huge smile then looked at Georgie who was looking out the window as if she had never seen the streets they were driving down and asked "Georgie, after I put Andrew to bed tonight, we probably should talk. Once word gets out that you are alive, there are going to be people showing up, telling you things and I don't want you to be blindsided by them." 

"When Andrew is in bed." she said looking back at her son who was watching the snow falling outside his car window. "I missed him, even when I didn't know who or where he was." 

At the Towers, Johnny lifted Andrew while Georgie picked up the various packages only for a guard to arrive to help. "Wait, Georgie, we need to pick you up some clothes." 

Showing him her bag, she said "I have clothes, Johnny. I don't need you to take care of me, I am quite capable of doing that myself." 

"That's the Georgie, I know." he muttered as they went to the elevator. With a look at her, he said "I wasn't saying you can't. I just didn't know what you have or don't have." 

"I have clothes, I won't be naked or embarrass you." she said quietly. 

"Georgie, you not having..." he stopped speaking, looking at her with a sideways glance, he reined in where his brain was going, then said "I am sorry, I just... I talked to Mac one day. He said other than a few special things, he had donated Georgie's, well your stuff to charity, that it hurt too much to have it in the house." 

Not letting on how much that hurt, she gave him a slight smile just as the elevator dinged to let them know they were on the right floor. Stepping off, she looked at first one door then the other and said "A blond man lives in that penthouse. I can see him in my mind, he had this geek living with him., I felt sorry for him." 

"Some thought you were in love with him." he told her quietly as they went inside his penthouse. "What about this penthouse, does it ring any bells." 

Looking around, still in the hallway, she felt her head hurt then said "A tall blond, shrieking loudly. An annoying little shit with a Napoleon Complex. Another blond, arms the size of most men." 

"Okay, except for the last one, yeah, it fits. This was once Sonny Corinthos penthouse" he said putting Andrew down now that the little boy was a bit more lively. 

Georgie looked around then said "I don't know how I know, but I know this doesn't suit you." 

"You are right. Andrew's room, that is what I helped him chose, but otherwise, I... I will explain later." he said a bit awkwardly. He had let Olivia help him chose this stuff and he had forgotten that until now. Clearly all this stuff, had to go, because she was right, none of it really suited him. 

Andrew rushed over to his Mommy and asked "Mommy, where have you been, did the mean lady hurt you?" 

Hugging Andrew, she said "I was trying to find my way to you." 

"Okay.'" he said looking between his parents with a grin then asked slyly "Can we open our presents from Grandpa Mac?" 

"Can you drag the bag over?" asked Johnny who watched as the little boy grunted and huffed as he 'helped' bring the bag over. Seeing several packages he didn't recognize, he saw they had Georgie's name on them. 

There was also a small flat book with a note to him. Lifting it, he saw it was Georgie's old diary and silently handed it to her. Her eyes widening, she opened it and looked at the familiar looking writing inside and knew that this would answer some of her questions, hopefully. 

"Georgie, these have your name on them." he said handing her the gaily wrapped packages then asked Andrew if he wanted his. As the little boy excitedly unwrapped a race track from Robin and her family. 

Several books from Maxie, which surprised him and from Mac had come a photo album with pictures, all labeled, all dated from Georgie's birth until the Black and White Ball. 

Andrew looked at them, studying each one and smiling at his mommy when he said "You had funny hair." 

"Yes, I did." she said laughing and messing up his hair. "You got very lucky and didn't inherit mine." 

Johnny opened the packages with his name on it, his eyes never really leaving Georgie and their son. The gifts he had been given were thoughtful and kind but he had received the best gift of his life, a second chance with the mother of his son, and this gift would require lots of work and hopefully she would fall back in love with him.

Hearing barking, he stood, went to the kitchen door and let in Andrew's dog which had scampered straight at the little boy, stopped to sniff Georgie then after getting some attention from his owner settled at their footsteps while Andrew told his mom all about the ball of fluff that was no more an indoor dog than he was a saint.

Looking at the clock, he saw Andrew beginning to yawn and said "I think it is time for Mommy and I to put you to bed, Andrew."

"But daddy-" The little boy was about to protest when he saw his dad smile.

"Andrew, I promise your Mom will still be here in the morning." he said gently then added "But you have had a very busy day and you were supposed to go sledding with Cam and Jake tomorrow."

Georgie frowned then looked at Johnny and said "Who?"

"Cam and Jake Morgan, Jason and El-" she looked at him with a look of shock then at her own son then back at Johnny and burst into laughter.

"Tall man who lived across the hall and very pretty nurse, right? I knew it, I knew that Jason was Jake's father, hell I would be surprised if Lucky Spencer could even get it up, let alone impregnate someone." She crowed then looked at him in astonishment. "I can't remember my own history but I can remember that, well I will be danged."

Hugging her loosely as he bent down to pick up Andrew he said "We have a huge chore in front of us. Someone doesn't like to take baths then go to bed."

A joyful hour later, Johnny tucked his teddy bear under the blankets next to Andrew, told Sparkles to stay off the bed, then watched as Georgie kissed their now sleeping son and told him she loved him. "Shall we?"

Following him down the staircase, she bent and began to clean up the few pieces of loose wrapping paper only for him to say "I am sorry, but we can't delay speaking."

"I just need a moment, please." she said not sure how to tell him she saw all these images and had been seeing them since the moment she had recalled Jason Morgan and Elizabeth Webber. It was primarily flashes, images of people and emotions, all chaotic, all of which made no sense.

Looking at the man in front of her, she felt so much. Fear for him, love and confusion and pain. Looking in his eyes, she saw his fear, and sat down as he paced back and forth. "Please, whatever you need to say, I think it might be better if you just did so."

"I was waiting on you, remember?" he said with a slight smile as he looked at her. "Do you want me to tell you our history or just what has happened since I lost you."

"Our history." she said then listened first in horror as he told her stories of attempted suicide, of his family, all of it's history, even what he had denied her before. "I should have told you before, but I couldn't, I just couldn't tell you all the horrible things that were my life. You were my light. My dreams of all that is good."

"That is too much responsibility for one person, Johnny." she said gently as she reached out for the throw pillow on the sofa so she didn't reach out to comfort him. She just wasn't ready for that.

"I know, things between us went bad when you found me with a gun. I couldn't tell you the truth, that I had it to protect myself, you thought I was trying to kill myself again." he said looking at her with pain in his eyes. "I froze, then didn't know how to tell you what I felt, what you meant to me. You walked away that night, for six hours I had my dreams, my future and I lost it out of fear."

"We separated?" she asked softly. "What about Andrew?"

"I didn't know about him, you didn't tell me but you might not have known until after something else happened." with that, he hesitated and told her about Trevor and the news the man had given him about killing her. "I didn't deal with it, I was angry and hurting so I started down that bad road you got me off of. Then there was this meeting, I overheard Trevor talking to someone about Port Charles and I came back here."

"I gather you got over this suicidal behavior." she said grateful that he had been able to do so.

"No, not then. I came to town, there was this woman, she was reckless and selfish and it suited me, it suited my numbness because it wasn't deep, She was a mess and hell still is a mess but in truth, she was the opposite of you. It didn't matter to me, but I pulled her into my mess and knew I had to fix it at the time."

"What do you mean at the time?" she asked confused.

"I soon learned that she was not what I thought, she was drama and games. Everything I was trying to escape. But what I didn't learn until later was what she truly was. And that is why I have to tell you her history and mine. You know her, she has hurt you long before I came into the picture."

Johnny thought back on all that Mac had told him of the history between the mother of his child and the woman he had been lovers with. "Her name is Lulu Spencer and she has hurt you terribly in the past."

Stuttering a bit, he said "You were married once, his name was Dillon. I don't know much more about him except that he was Lulu's stepbrother."

Georgie thought about it, then asked "A blond, messy hair and idiotic thought process."

That hurt, deeply thought Johnny didn't let on that her remembering her first love hurt that badly. "I wouldn't know, I never met him."

"So you were involved with this Lulu?" she asked.

"Yes. When we ended, I realized she was a way of trying to move on, things had changed, Trevor was dead, my father was in jail at the time. But there was always something missing, always this hint that I had lost something I could never get back. My sister was in town, she was another version of my father,. I was just lost and then there was Olivia Falconari."

"Woman with huge tits." she said. Seeing his surprise, she said "When you say names, I see faces in my head."

"But- Olivia didn't come to town until after you were thought dead." he said astounded.

"I see a dark haired girl, and a short man in a police uniform. She is his mother and we are in New York." she said telling him what she saw. Seeing his eyes twitching, she said "Wait, you involved with my friend, weren't you?"

"No." he said firmly. "I almost got involved but she was obsessed with Dante. My guess is your short man in the police uniform. She was working for Carly, the tall shrieking woman who used to live here. Dante is the short man who lived here's son and she drugged him on her behalf."

That didn't fit what Georgie saw but then she had an image of the woman in her head, words that made Georgie angry. But then her mind came back to the present and she looked at Johnny and said "Wait, yuck, you are what, 26, 27. She has to be... double yuck."

Rubbing the back of his neck, his mind well aware that the Olivia was the least offensive of his relationships and said "I was working on my mommy issues. We ended when I wouldn't let go of taking down her ex-lover and Dante's father. I did some things, things I wasn't proud of. I bought a strip club."

Seeing her face, he winced and said "There was this woman, I needed her help and she had done something to your cousin Robin. Robin and I have discussed it, we worked our way past it for the sake of Andrew but I would understand if you couldn't get past it."

He was holding his breath but he knew he had to tell her that, had to give her an out after all the mistakes he had made over the last few years. "I need time, Johnny. There is so much being thrown at me and my memories are still scrambled. Still a mess."

"I understand that." he said then looked at her, "I haven't said it yet but I am so glad you are back."

When he kissed her on the forehead, she felt a soft tingling that began in her stomach and a pull towards the man next to her but at the same time there was almost a banked anger which made her take notice of all he had just told her. There was some part of his story that upset her more than the other parts and she had to unscramble that before things got complicated.

"I am not sure what else I should be telling you." he said as he racked his brain for what he might have missed until she smiled at him and said that she was hoping he would fill her in on her son and how they had been doing as father and son.

Johnny sat down and they spoke quietly about Andrew and Brenda Barrett. Then about the meeting with Mac which had given him the idea that it wasn't a coincidence about the name. How they had bonded over the last few months. "I uh, am not that great of a cook but I didn't poison him, which I consider a plus."

She laughed a quiet soft laugh that had him remembering times that had happened long ago between them. As they sat there, next to each other on the long cream colors sofa, Georgie and Johnny spoke about Andrew and revealed stuff they had kept hidden about themselves from many. Things that the person beside them were the only people who knew.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked with a slightly mischievous grin on her face. When he nodded yes, she said "Something has been sticking in my mind, well a few things actually but this is the most persistent."

Looking at him, she said "Did you ever actually capture the duck?"

His eyes widened, as he looked at her with shock in them. "Wait, you remember that?"

"Other than our son, the only memory I have is you, chasing that duck who had nabbed your sandwich and then you falling into the lily pond." she said as her grin became laughter as her mind went back to the mental image that had stayed with her through some pretty terrible events. "Well?"

"Well what?" he asked.

"Did you ever catch the duck?" she asked only for Johnny to pin her to the sofa, with his knees on either side of her thighs and his hands holding hers as she began to laugh even louder "I only have a snippet, the duck stealing your sandwich, you chasing it and landing in the pond, so, how did it end?"

Suspicious, he looked at her and said "Is that the only part you remember or are you wanting me to say it."

"Say what?" she asked as she looked at the man hovering over her on the sofa. "What don't I remember?"

"Do I have to tell you?" he asked his eyes trying to read hers. Seeing she seemed to be genuinely curious, he mumbled. "With a frog landing down the open vee of my dress shirt."

Georgie was laughing hysterically by now, Johnny could feel the vibrations beginning to effect his body, as he began to grow aroused but that quickly deflated when she reached up and touched the top of his head and said "Yup, it sure did. You stood and screamed like a girl trying to get it out of your shirt. I have to say, that that sequence of events, was completely unforgettable."

"You remember that?" he asked silently confused as to whether he was upset with her tricking him or happy she remembered him or unhappy that her main memory was of that particular event.

Their eyes met, and Johnny reached down to brush her hair of her face as she looked at him and said "Only bits and pieces until just now, mainly I saw your eyes. I was worried you would be angry that I lost our son."

"At you, never." he said and without thinking rested his weight on her as he pulled her into his arms. "I have loved you for so long. When I thought I lost you, there was a gaping hole in my heart, one that no matter how much I tried, I could never repair, never fill."

"Oh Johnny." her voice trailed off as she felt their closeness, looking at him, she said "I should tell you to let me up, but... this, this feels familiar, right even."

"I should let you go to bed, but first, I have something for you." he said then awkwardly getting up, went to the bag then handed her the small neatly wrapped package. "I saw this in a store at the mall, I uh, I was reminded of you when I saw it. I knew I was crazy but I had to get it for you, even if I never gave it to you. Even if I had given it to Andrew's bride someday, as a token of..." his voice broke as he thrust the package into her hand.

Georgie opened the very prettily wrapped box covered with red embossed paper and silver ribbon and then opened the small box inside. Gasping when she saw the cameo, she heard to lift the little tab. When she did so, she saw the ribbons beneath, all were complementary colors to the pale ivory piece of jade.

"Johnny, this, its beautiful." she said looking at the man standing almost frozen in front of her. "I... I don't understand..."

Knelling in front of her, lifting the pale green ribbon that was already attached to the cameo, he told her to lean forward and then slid the necklace around her neck, connecting the clasp strictly by touch. Finding it difficult to pull his hand back, wanting to keep touching her, wanting to run his fingers through her hair, his eyes fell to where the cameo was resting on her throat and said "It looks like it has always belonged there."

Reaching out, she ran her fingers on her left hand gently over his face, her mind marveling as his eyes closed, clearly enjoying the feeling she was evoking. "Johnny,-"

For once, he wanted to do this right, wanted that perfect moment, with that, he found himself moving closer and closer, his right hand tangling into her hair while his left hand slid down her body as they moved in closer and closer... then soft lips met his. There was a slight gasp then both opened their eyes looking into each others and what they saw there, made them close them again as Johnny moved his lips over hers, gently caressing, but not deepening the kiss.

He needed Georgie to know that this wasn't about sex, wasn't about their son, but about him and how much he regretted letting his fears tear them apart. How his fears had cost them years together, almost had cost her her life. But just as he was about to tell her what he felt, his hand felt something wet. Pulling back and opening his eyes, seeing the tear that gently rolling down her cheek, he knew that he didn't have to say a word. He could see her confusion, her surprised but the part that scared him, he could see some part of her remembered this, remembered how they made each other feel and that scared him yet again.

Stepping back, then standing, he turned, quickly, missing seeing the hurt expression on Georgie's face at his behavior as she ran her fingers over her lips then an almost knowing expression follow. "Uh, the bedroom, the largest, it is set up for you."

Not saying a word, she picked up her bag, then turned to look at Johnny. Starting to say something, she saw how tense he was and with a softly worded "Good Night" she hurried up the stairs and went to shower and head to bed. Removing the cameo, she laid it on the small wood square catchall on his dresser, then hurried into the bathroom, hoping the steady stream of hot water would help clear her thoughts.

Dried off and in her pajamas picked up at a Target store a few weeks before, she went to check on Andrew and found her son fast asleep. Tucking him in when she saw he was half uncovered, she gently kissed his forehead as her heart settled down and her mind gave her the answers she was seeking.

She had seen their argument while in the shower, had recalled the panicked look in his face as he broke things off with her and finally found her answers. "OH Johnny, you fool."

With that, she climbed into his bed, grimacing at the idea of those who had shared it in the past and found it hard to sleep in at first before exhaustion and the warmth took over and she was soon fast asleep.

_Walking through the park, the confused girl was not sure what she was looking for as she called out Andrew? Andrew where are you? Seeing the blond talking to the young man with wild hair, she asked "Have you seen my son?"_

"_Your son? Who would have had sex with you? Let alone be willing to have a kid with you?" sneered the young woman as she turned around and kissed the other boy. Georgie didn't know why the girl was __bothering when the man was clearly looking at the taller skinnier olive skinned brunette instead of her._

_Moving on, getting that even if they saw her son, they wouldn't stop their self involved lives long enough to help her, she moved on. "Andrew? Andrew?"_

"_Have you seen my son?" she asked the salt and pepper haired man who she had seen at the hospital. _

"_What son, my dear?" asked the oily mannered man, he he gave her the creeps and when she turned around again, she saw him talking to Ric Lansing, a man she knew by name but now how. _

_Shuddering, she kept moving, saw the older man, standing there tending roses. "Have you seen my son?"_

_Cackling the man looked at her with malevolent eyes and then said "No, but according to my attorney, you have been seeing mine. That isn't allowed, You must be taught a lesson, sluts like you, are a no-no. Johnny needs to be taught a lesson."_

_With that, Georgie was slapped across the face, as she fell down, she looked at him and said "Who, who are you?"_

"_Stay away from Johnny." said the first man, the one she had seen talking to Lansing. Before she could say another word, she found herself slapped again. This time she was knocked unconscious. When she came too, she was in a small room, locked inside. _

_But something had changed, something had caused her to forget her son and she was now asking to be let go. Looking down, seeing her bump, Georgie was crying and now remembering her name. "What, wait, what is going on?"_

_Settling onto the bed in the room, Georgie was terrified, she was clearly about six months pregnant. Looking out the small window, she could see the snow, could see that it was well into winter. "What am I doing here?"_

"_My question exactly." said the tall dark haired woman wearing red shoes as she came down the narrow hallway. "Who are you and why is my father holding you hostage?"_

_Rubbing her head, the woman looked down then at the woman. "I don't actually know, but I think it has to do with my baby."_

"_Is he the father?" she asked the girl who was clearly a mess. _

"_I don't know." she said bleakly. "I don't know anything. Just that I am pregnant. They bring a doctor to come and see me every few weeks but no one will tell me anything."_

_There was a calculating look in the hard woman's eyes as she said "And if I can get you freed?"_

"_Why would you help me, something tells me there is something in it for you." she asked suspiciously._

"_If that is my father's kid, I don't want it to exist. Don't want anyone to know about it." she replied. "Give me three days."_

_With that, the young woman sat down, not really expecting help. So when the woman came back a few days later with a man, one she thought looked familiar, she said "Who is this?"_

_The man had turned white and was saying holy hell, repeatedly as he grabbed Claudia's arm and pulled her out of there. _

_A few minutes later, the dark haired woman returned, her face set in stone as she said "Sorry about this."_

_With that, she stuck a needle in her arm and waited until she was half asleep. Then making a call said "I have a package for pickup. Mexico. No, she isn't to be harmed. No touching her, just give her the back pack and I have people who will be keeping an eye on her, so don't try stealing anything."_

_As she came back completely conscious three days later according to the date on her watch, the girl overheard two men talking and knew, she had very little time to get free. The dark haired woman was coming back for her baby and she couldn't allow that, couldn't allow them to take her child._

_The men had underestimated the determination and abilities of the pregnant girl. Within two days of arriving, she had knocked one out while the other went to the store. Finding the bag was a bonus as she grabbed it, found the keys to the car and drove, far away and soon found herself at the Mexican US border._

_Crossing, she arrived at a hotel, left the car in the parking lot and caught the cross town bus. Loosing herself in the crowded city of El Paso, she found a hidey hole, bought a notebook and began to make notes of the flashes she was seeing in her head._

_Things went smoothly until the day she went into labor..._

Andrew had woken up, hearing odd sounds. Entering his daddy's bedroom, he saw his Mommy was moving restlessly in her sleep and crawled up onto the bed with her. "Mommy?"

She didn't wake up, but seemed to calm down. "Its okay Mommy, I promise. Daddy will fix things, he always does."

The man who had been standing in the hallway felt his heart turn over in his chest as his son told his mother that daddy had brought her back to him, so he was sure Daddy could fix things for Mommy too.

Johnny walked further into the room as Georgie had settled down and Andrew had fallen asleep curled up next to her, his eyes bleak as he thought to himself that daddy hadn't fixed anything, Mommy had brought herself home. Pulling the duvet up, over the two of them, he sat there in the new brown chair, across from the bed, watching over the two people who mattered most to him and brooded.

His mind going over his past, the darkness he had given in to, the crimes he had committed in the name of family and revenge and found that he didn't know the way forward. Seeing Georgie reach out, even in sleep and cuddle their son closer, he knew he didn't deserved them, didn't deserve happiness. He had done bad things, things he had always sworn to never do, what was to stop him from doing those things again, when clearly his own conscious wasn't able to.

With that, he walked down the stairs, stood in the middle of the living room, looked around, then sank onto the sofa as he faced that he had to let them go, had to walk away from his family, for their sake.

Mac had been waiting to speak to Felecia, knowing that he had to do it after Maxie had gone to bed but his eldest was still on the phone with Dr. Webber, yet another discussion he was going to have to have soon. While the age difference bothered Mac, he had to admit that her friendship with Steven Webber and her closeness with Jasper Jacks and his daughter were actually the first normal relationships she had had in years.

When he heard Maxie saying good night, then laugh, he found himself chuckling when she began muttering as she walked up the stairs complaining about Epiphany Johnson thinking she was insane because she had asked about Georgie. "As if that is the craziest thing I have done over the last few years."

Hearing the shower, then Maxie going to bed, Mac looked at the clock and grimaced before picking up the phone. Hearing the sound of a male voice on the other end, he said "Hey, Frisco. It is Mac, I need to speak to Felicia and you."

"One second, while I put you on speakerphone." said the spy as he saw his ex-wife/current partner moving closer to the phone. "Okay, go ahead Mac."

"Felicia, we had an unexpected guest at the family party tonight." he said.

"Really, some relative of Mr. Zachara's?" she asked still annoyed with him for leaving their grandchild with the mobster prince. "I warned you..."

"Felicia, if you were really concerned, you might have wanted to come home and meet Georgie's son, but you haven't so much as asked for a picture as of yet." he snapped. "That is your grandson."

"Mac, I can't compromise my cover and there will be plenty of time." she said then added more to herself than to him. "How you can trust this young man..."

"I didn't call you to argue." he snapped, annoyed with her. "Felicia, since you are so worried about Andrew, you might be happy to know that another relative of ours is going to be living with Johnny and Andrew."

"Oh god, please tell me Maxie hasn't lost..."

"Mac, can't you get control..." Frisco started to speak when the phone disconnected, Mac having hung up. Frisco dialed the Scorpio house number, thinking it was a weather related issue. "Mac, we were disconnected."

"I know, I hung up." he replied then clipped out. "Felicia, not that you seem to care, but Georgie is alive. She is home and staying with her son and his father. Frisco, we both know you haven't given a damn all this time, you couldn't even be bothered to attend her funeral but I felt you had a right to know."

With that, Mac hung up again and then put a block on the number, not giving a damn about any questions they had. Georgie was fragile enough right now, she didn't need to be dealing with their protests about Johnny.

In Texas, Frisco was looking at a stunned Felicia who was saying that they had to go home. "We can't blow our cover and going to Port Charles right now, would expose us."

"FRISCO, that is our daughter, I don't give a damn right now about national security." with that, she went to pack only to hear the undercover phone ring. Reluctantly listening in, she figured out that they could afford the two days it would take to wrap this up. "But that is all, Frisco, after that national security be damned, our daughter needs us. No more assignments."

Agreeing, he went to his room and took out the picture he had of his girls. Maxie was about five and Georgie was just a baby. It was the only photo he had and he couldn't help wishing things were different but he had made his choice years ago, knowing that the best thing he could do for his family was to protect everyone, them included.

Chapter Three 

Mac was getting ready for bed, when he heard a knock on his door. Opening it, he saw Maxie standing there looking a little pale. "Dad?"

"Hey, what is it?" he asked easing her into a chair near his window. Reaching out, he felt for her pulse and said "Maxie?"

"I-I don't know." she said weakly. "I feel bad, off. I thought I was just tired but when I laid down in bed, my heart started racing. I-I think there is something wrong dad."

Mac asked her if he should call an ambulance. "No, please just call Dr. Quartermaine and see if she can meet us at the hospital."

With that, he took his cell phone, slipped on his slippers and helped his daughter down the stairs, worried sick as she refused to let him carry her. Once at GH and Monica had taken her off to an exam room, he called Johnny and Robin. Johnny said he would wake Georgie up only for Mac to tell him no, that they wouldn't know anything until morning and Robin had rushed straight down.

Seeing Steven Webber entering the hospital followed closely by Jax, he said "Monica is in with her now."

"I thought something was off when we were on the phone." said Steven kicking himself for not insisting she let him come over. They had been talking about how fast to move on with things and how to speak to Mac so he had taken her being quiet as her being not sure how to proceed.

Looking at Jax, seeing how pale the other man was, he said softly. "There is always a chance it isn't her heart."

Feeling guilty, because his mind was on his own daughter's transplant and what she could go though as well as the young woman who had been offering him emotional support over the last few months, he said "How are you doing, I mean, she is my friend but you are in lov-"

Steven glared at the man then said "I still haven't told her that yet."

"You might want to get on with it, you never know what will happen from one minute to the next." he said then sat down to stare at his feet. Hearing Robin speaking, he said "Wait, what did you say?"

"Oh, I guess we can start spreading the news. Georgie, she is home, alive." said Robin looking at the tall blond man. Seeing his shock, she said "She doesn't remember much, just a few things so we are letting her be. Right now, she is with Andrew at Johnny's penthouse."

Grimacing a bit, Jax still wasn't sure that the former mobster was such a good guy, he was about to ask how she had been found when Monica exited Maxie's hospital room. Mac stood, looked at the woman he had known for almost twenty years and asked "How is she?"

"Sit down." she said then sat next to him on the sofa and looked at those gathered. "Its not the transplant, at least her body isn't rejecting the heart. It looks like the heart however has a hole in it. A small little pinprick but it is affecting her."

"Why didn't this show up before now?" asked Robin.

Monica said with a heavy sigh, "I have no idea. The scans show that it isn't going to be easy to operate on and we have a bigger problem."

"What?" asked Mac who saw Robin and Steven looking at one another. "Will one of you tell me what you are keeping from me?"

"In order to operate, Maxie has to go off her anti-rejection meds." said Steven who looked at Monica who looked at Robin then at Mac and finally just said. "Mac, Maxie didn't want to worry you, but she has been having some issues with her meds. We had to switch her dosage up recently."

The older man looked at Robin who said "You know that that can be a regular occurrence, she just didn't want anyone to worry. There was nothing more to it."

"Now, however, I have to wonder, maybe we should have looked deeper into things." said a troubled Steven while Monica looked up at Jeff arrived like requested then at Mac. "Mac, Jeff is an expert on the laser guiding machine that we are going to need to operate on Maxie. I need to explain her file to him."

With that the two exes walked off, Monica's words making him frown then the lines around his face deepen as he said "You do know that this has only ever been tried in a lab, that it was approved without actually having been tested on a human."

"That isn't true, Jeff. They have been using it in brain surgery for years." she reminded him.

"Then what about Drake, surely he would be a better candidate to perform the surgery?" he asked.

"No, he is too close to the situation. Not that you are much better, with how things seem to be working out between Maxie and Steven." she said with a look at where his son was slipping in to see the young blond. "We don't have a lot of time here, Jeff. It has to be you."

"When can you get one of the machines ready for this?" he asked knowing it took almost forty eight hours to prepare the program for the operation. "Also do we have a heart, just in case this goes wrong?"

Taking a deep breath, then looking him in the eye, she said "No, because Maxie is a difficult match. This heart came from her cousin BJ. We almost lost her last time."

Getting how serious the situation was, Jeff asked "Who do I need to speak to?"

"Mac, as well as Maxie. I don't know about her biological parents, they weren't here much for her. Felicia tried, but in the end, the lure of adventure was too strong." she said then looking at where Mac stood, wearing his dress clothes, but slippers, clearly exhausted, she said "I do think that part of the reason she felt so safe leaving is him. Mac would do anything, I mean anything for his girls."

Nodding, Jeff went to make a call, there was only one nurse he knew that would be able to do what he needed in the operating room without his needing to speak out loud. He wished it could be his daughter, Epiphany Johnson was correct, his little girl had a magical touch, a healing hand so to speak but she would feel guilty if something went wrong and he didn't want that for her. Not for an operation that had less than a thirty percent success rate.

In the small room, Steven had sat down in the chair next to Maxie who had her eyes closed. Reaching for her hand, he saw her eyes fly open and said "Monica is talking to my father, he is going to operate."

Untangling their hands, she ran her fingers over the worry lines on his forehead and said "This tells me you are scared. Don't be. I will be fine, I don't know how I know it, but I do."

His heart stopped, then Steven said "Don't say things like that. I-I don't believe that... I have lost too many people over the years to believe in fate or destiny or any of that crap."

"But you have got some back." she said weakly. "I mean, look at yesterday, miracles happen."

"What if I am bad luck?" he asked suddenly standing, pacing around the room. "You don't know my history, my family history. What if I caused this by telling you what I did the other day."

"Uh, Steven, I have known your sister for what feels like forever." she said dryly. "Think about it, I mean, after all at the time I felt like she was my enemy, I studied her. I know your family. I know that your dad left you all and moved to save others. I know that."

"Maxie." with that, he looked at her and decided to get her to face that his being around wasn't good. "You know nothing, nothing at all about my family. Did you know my mother is insane, that she is because she drugged herself with PCP?"

"I knew she was crazy, but not why. Why though... wait, a man, right?" she asked feeling a bit dizzy like maybe he hadn't meant what he had told her, that he didn't really want to see where this attraction was going.

"She was chasing after my dad because he was a rich doctor." he confessed. "Then when he didn't fall in with her plans, she sold me on the black market and made my father think I was dead. The family that adopted me, things went bad for them too. My adopted dad died and my adopted mom came to town. Dad found out about me, they got together, I don't think my dad loved Diana, I think it was all about me. Anyhow, my biological grandmother, she killed Diana and framed the woman my dad was really in love with."

Maxie watched his pace, hearing his words and felt for him as he continued. "I felt alone, like I had lost my feelings of being safe but then my dad was there for me. We moved and then he got married and was suddenly gone more than there and I felt alone again most of the time. I went off to school and felt disconnected yet again. I have always had intimacy issues as a result. I have always been aware of it."

The pacing became faster as did the words as he said "I came to town a few years ago, because John Durant insisted on it. I was sure it would allow me to mend things with Elizabeth, but John, he never told me who my sister was divorced from, that he had brought me to town because of her connections to Morgan. I couldn't allow myself to get close because I was scared he would try to use her... so I left again, bereft, feeling a hole in my soul."

"But you came back and Elizabeth and you are close." she pointed out.

"Look what did happen, Elizabeth's life was a mess, if I had told her what I knew about Lucky back then, instead of keeping it to myself... she might not have made that mistake. Jason and she might have been together long before this point."

"Or not." she said looking at him then saying "Steven, why do you think bad things happen because of you. What happened to Elizabeth was because of Sam and Lucky and Helena. Not you."

"You don't get it, every time I would get close to people, I would find flaws, find reasons not to trust. Then I came here, it was why I was seeing Lisa, she was clearly flawed, I wouldn't get close, wouldn't get my heart broken. Same with Olivia, there is a safety net to being involved with people like that."

"You mean with people like me." she said feeling her own heart twist in ways that had nothing to do with her medical problems.

Shocked he said ruefully "Maxie, we weren't really involved until recently we are more like sparring partners. I know you, and your past and frankly that isn't my issue with us. It is your age like we have talked about. Your stubbornness and your annoying habit of following me into the men's room to get what you want."

"It works doesn't it?" she said still feeling downcast at the words he had spoken.

Yesterday, things had been working out between them, now she was afraid she was going to lose him no matter what happened.

"What you don't seem to get is that I say no more often then not to see just how far you will go in tormenting me. I actually love seeing your jaw tighten, your eyes flash and your fists clench just before you tell me that you will win, that you always do." he said softly then said "I have never had any trouble holding people away from me, until I came here. Or until Jake and Cam. I see them, I see what I want, the future I want but I have no idea how to achieve it. You, you are like a whirlwind I can't say no to."

That did worry her, Maxie was well aware that children might not be in the cards for her, it was partly why she hung around Jax so much until recently. She had known that he cared for her, she also knew it wouldn't take much to push that over into love but she also knew that her feelings for the blond were created because he was the father of the little girl she loved so much.

Unlike with Steven there was no attraction, more an appreciation for how well he was put together. With Jax she felt the age difference between them whereas with Steven who was the same age as the Aussie, it was never an issue. Tuning back into Steven who was still going on, clearly torn about caring for her, she felt her heart pitter patter as he talked about Cam smiling at him one day with his wide childlike grin right after he had done something wrong and how it had made him laugh.

"That moment, that smile, it cracked the casing that I had around my heart to protect it. Then the crack slowly grew and now, my heart is too exposed too open. I can't risk it, I can't risk you. I won't lose anyone else I love... I can't love you, at least not now. Damn, I wish I didn't love you.." That did stop her heart for a second then she grinned and on his next pass as he paced by her bed, she reached out for his hand and stopped him.

"What?" He asked, never seeing her smile as she thought so much for taking things slowly.

"Would you repeat those last three words." she said gently touching his face, cupping his cheek. "Please?"

Thinking back to what he had been saying, his mind only now processing what had been coming out of his mouth and groaned. "Please?"

"I love you." he said almost like it was torn from him, like it hurt to tell her those words. Maxie wondered if maybe, just maybe it did when he sat down, practically falling into the chair he had been wearing the carpet down around. Their eyes met, then he said "This changes nothing."

"No, I get that." she said agreeing with him then added with a smirk. "Other than I like hearing it out loud, because your eyes have been saying it almost since Halloween, there Doctor."

Stunned, he stuttered "N-no, it hasn't."

"Yes it has and for the record, I have to admit... well I like you too." she mumbled, her face red as she couldn't find it in her to tell him the words just yet in case she didn't make it. "You are a lot of fun to be around."

"So is a labradoddle." he replied while accepting that he was already in the deep end and that he might was well give in to what he was feeling.

"Nah, they shed." she answered back. "Kate had me get one for a photo shoot once, I thought Carly was going to have a cow when it shed all over the hotel lobby."

"Shit." he said swearing. Looking at her he said "Carly gave birth two days ago. AJ took his baby home but I forgot I was supposed to go speak to her. I guess... I really don't want to go."

"Then don't." she said. "Carly can wait, after all she has made others wait for years. Besides, usually when two people finally admit that they are in love with each other, they kiss. I want a kiss."

"Tough, you only said you like me." Steven had been through this on Christmas Eve and he didn't want her heart racing, so with that he went towards the door only to hear Epiphany Johnson's voice through the speakerphone asking Maxie if she needed something.

"Dr. Steven Webber won't give me the prescription I need." she said. "I was told to keep my heart calm, and he is aggravating me. Will you tell him to give me what I want."

"Ms. Jones, this is for emergencies only." she said stiffly. "Not for you to use to manipulate the medical staff. Now as for Dr. Webber, I am quite certain that as one of your doctors, he wouldn't want you to become upset."

Steven leaned against the semi open door, then looked at her amused. "I guess she told you."

"Well if you don't want me to end up really needing help, you had better give me what I want." she said with a snarkly little grin. "I want a nice kiss, right on the lips, with tongue."

Coughing to hid his laughter, he said "So when Mrs. Neidermeyer in 406 asks me for the same treatment, you will be okay with it."

"No, because that would also make my pulse race so I had better be the only patient prescribed that particular prescription." she said frowning darkly.

"You want that kiss, then say what you are really feeling." Steven's mind was yelling at himself to stop this, that this is the last thing Maxie needs, that she was just a bit messed up right then, but his body was the one in control as he moved back to where she was resting against her raised pillow. Moving closer, within inches of her lips he said "Now what do you have to say to me?"

Maxie looked into the very pretty green eyes so close to her, then at his lips, mere millimeters away and said "I love you, Dr. Steven Webber."

"Steven Lars Webber." he said his breath warm against her lips as he said his whole name.

"Fine, I love you, wait, what kind of middle name is Lars?" she asked distracted then suddenly deciding that could wait as Steven pressed his lips to her. Her arms came up around his shoulders to pull him closer then she felt his tongue slip between her lips as he deepened the kiss.

Neither of them noticed the beeping of the machines, nor the shrill sound of the alarm down the hall but those gathered to hear how she was doing had as Monica, Jeff and Robin led the rush to the hospital room where Epiphany Johnson had already rushed in with the crash cart and had stopped in the doorway, her hands on her hips as with annoyance she glared at the obvious couple who were wrapped up in each other.

"AHEM." she said and got no response, except to be pushed into yet again as more of the crowd arrived. There was a moment's laughter then Jax, Patrick and Jason who had arrived quickly left while Elizabeth gave a quiet chuckle then did the same.

Mac, and the other three doctors looked at one another then Robin quickly split, knowing that Maxie would be fine for now. Epiphany was now a bit irritated with her boss so she moved in behind the two of them and said "SO, DR. WEBBER, IS THIS HOW WE ARE NOW TREATING ALL OUR HEART PATIENTS?"

The guilty pair split, Maxie touching her lips then looking over Steven's broad shoulders to those gathered and groaned at the fire in the head nurse's eyes. "When did you all get here?"

"When your monitor set off the alarm at the hub." said Monica who looked at Steven and said "What was it I said about keeping her calm."

"That was what I was trying to do." he muttered then glared at the grinning blond and then looking at Epiphany said "You said I would..."

Shutting up, he saw his father hiding his laughter while Mac Scorpio looked between his daughter and him then gave him a knowing look and said "Maxie must be feeling better if she is up to manipulating you into forgetting medical advice."

With a guilty expression, since he knew she wasn't, he changed the subject and said to his father. "Do you need me to order the program?"

"No, I took care of it." he said then saw Monica wanted to talk to her patient and Mac. "However, I need to get permission to bring in an outside nurse. Annie Logan, she is an expert on the machine. I would use Elizabeth but... she is too close to this."

"Annie?" asked both Monica and Epiphany, the two women recalling Nurse Logan's history with Jeff and wondering how they had come to be speaking to one another.

"She was trained at John Hopkins on it and has used it on organs other than the brain, she ran into Tom who is working there right now." he stated. Getting agreement, he said "She will be arriving tomorrow, then will be also doing the after patient care."

Steven looked at Maxie then reluctantly headed towards the door only to be stopped when she said "Steven, I meant what I said."

With that wishing he didn't have to leave but aware that he shouldn't be there, he did look at her and say "I love you too."

Leaving, he never saw Mac looking at his little girl and smiling nor his own father doing the same, while Monica was already in medical mode as she sat down and went through things with Maxie. The young woman paled then said "So this is essentially it. It works or I die?"

Monica looked at the young woman, bravely trying to hold it together and said "I am afraid so. Jeff is very good with this machine, Maxie. I will be there, your family will be here for you. I have to say that you are in the best shape for this to happen."

"Then there is no choice, I have to do it." she said looking at Steven's father then at her own. "Dad, don't call them."

"Its too late." he said softly. "I called them while we were waiting to hear how you were doing. They are on their way."

"I listened in last night dad. I knew you would call." she confessed, then wiping her tears said "They haven't been here for the last few months, they didn't want to come last night, I don't want them here. Not now."

When Monica began to leave, Maxie had a thought and knew that she had to ask the cardiologist to do this for her. "Dr. Quartermaine, I know that things are tough right now between Bobbie and you because of Carly, but could you... tell her for me, please? For BJ?"

Getting why, she looked at the young woman and said "Yes. I will take care of that right now. Maxie, if you need anything... let me know."

Maxie hid her tears, then looked at her dad then at Dr. Webber and asked him to stay before looking at her father. "Dad, Georgie... I uh, I need to talk to her. A few other people, just in case. I am not giving up, I finally have everything to fight for. But please, get Georgie here. I know you more than likely told Johnny not to bring her, but-"

Reaching out, he held her hands, tightening his own grasp on hers as if to hold on and not let go. Walking out, he heard her asking Jeff to explain in detail exactly what he had to do to her heart and then the soft timber of the older surgeon as he began.

In the chapel, he sat down, then looked up at the cross, regretting words spoken in anger. He had once wondered why god had taken Georgie and left Maxie. He had regretted it the moment he had said the words, now he was beginning to think that he was being punished for words spoken in anger.

"Commissioner, no." said the tattooed man coming from the confessional. Seeing his surprise. "I saw your other daughter, yesterday at Kelly's. I know what you are thinking, anyone would, but no, god isn't taking away for what he already gave you."

"I am not so sure. I did so many things wrong, then was so proud of myself for walking away from that life, was so smug at the life I have created for my family. I looked down on others who got caught up making the same mistakes I once had. Then my daughter was taken, we got her son sent to us, then she returned, both of those were miracles. Have I used up my last miracle, is it wrong to want more?"

"No it is human." he said then added. "Young Maxie, she has become a beacon, she changed her life and the lives of others. God had a reason for that, one that I think she is not done fulfilling."

Georgie woke up with Andrew pressed against her, and Johnny on the other side of their son. Seeing his eyes opening was strange, he had been fast asleep moments before and was now wide away. "How do you do that?"

Knowing what she was asking because she had asked it once before, long ago he finally was able to answer truthfully. "With my family, being woken up wasn't always a good thing. I just learned to be aware, to be hyper vigilant in case things were ugly."

"When did you come to bed, you weren't here around four." she said.

Sitting up, he said "I wanted to tell you something, but I couldn't wake you up."

"Couldn't because I was sleeping deep or you didn't want to?" she asked as she looked at her son and more images settled into their rightful spots in her head.

"The second one." he admitted reluctantly. "Maxie was rushed to the hospital last night. There is something wrong with her heart. I don't know if you remember, but she has..."

"A transplant." she said finishing his sentence as words and images flew into her head. As they settled in what she hoped was the right order she added "The heart was from BJ, who I know is related but not how."

"I don't know the answer to that." he admitted as their son stirred. Hearing the sound of a doorbell, he went downstairs to see Jason and Elizabeth standing there with their boys. "Uh, I am sorry, I know this is a bad time, but we thought it might help if Andrew..."

"The sledding trip." he said recalling the discussion like it was a year ago instead of just forty eight hours ago that they had made the plans. "Wait, do you know about Georgie?"

"Yes and Maxie. We were at GH already." said Jason as they entered. They discussed what was going on with Maxie, then the miracle of Georgie's return. Looking at the younger man, he asked "How are things here?"

"Good." said the woman carrying the little boy down the stairs wearing jeans and a long sleeve thermal shirt. His tousled hair was ruthlessly shoved back as Andrew rushed over to tell his friends about how Santa had brought his Mommy back to them.

The foursome were talking, Aidan more listening then speaking as Jake looked at Andrew in awe of the idea of Santa bringing him his mommy back. Across the room, Georgie was explaining about her missing semi-memories. "They are there but scrambled. Things right themselves at the oddest times."

"I am so happy for all of you." said Elizabeth hugging the other woman who looked at her and said "Are you pregnant again?"

"No." said Elizabeth then asked why she thought she was.

"You always have this glow when you are." she said. "Its odd I can remember that but yet can't remember why I am mad at my parents."

"Don't press it." advised Jason, long having been an expert on missing memories. "If you are meant to get them back, you will."

Nodding, she was about to answer that when Andrew came over with his snowsuit. "Mommy, will you put this in my bag please, I can't get it in."

Looking at Johnny he nodded at the bright green bag and watched as she squished the air out of the snowsuit while Andrew once against brushed his hair back and blew on the curl that landed back into his eyes. "I think our son needs a haircut."

"What about after he is finished destroying the hill with the Morgan boys, we meet at Kelly's and then you and I can take him to get it cut." said Johnny. "That way you can visit with Maxie and not worry about Andrew."

Suddenly concerned she said "Wait, I thought he was going sledding, how is this dangerous, where are you going with him?"

"The backyard at our house. What used to be my grandparents." said Elizabeth knowingly. Georgie had an image of a small hill with no trees but snow drifts and relaxed. "You remember it?"

"Yes, you took Serena, Lulu, and I there once." she said. "Lulu cried at how cold it was and spent all her time inside with Leslie, whoever she is and your grandmother."

Andrew was now wearing his coat, his boots and was yanking out his hat from his pocket and trying to put on his gloves to the amusement of Johnny who stopped him, tightened the straps on his boots, then zipped up his coat then pulled the hat over his eyes and listened to his son laughing. "Daddy!"

"Okay, okay, I guess you need to see." he said yanking up a bit on the cap. Andrew hugged his mommy then made her promise not to leave town again and then hurried over to where the adults were guiding the kids to the elevator. "Jason!"

Taking the offered bag, he was once again reminded that Andrew did fit into Jake's clothes only for the dark haired man to grin and say "But he gets upset without his bag."

When they had left, Georgie went to the sofa, sat down and said "I can't believe he just left like that. I mean, I miss him already."

Kneeling on the sofa next to her, he said "That is a good thing, Georgie. It means he trusts you will be here when he comes home."

"I know that, but what if I had wanted to go too?" she said pretending to pout then laughing a bit. "Its hard to watch him leave, Johnny. I mean, it was only this time yesterday morning that I could see him in my head but had no idea who he was."

At that, he pulled her into his arms and said "We can go watch them, run over and see Maxie later."

"No, I can't be overprotective, I want him to grow up, strong both emotionally and physically." she said. She didn't know why this was such a hot button issue for her, but while everything in her was finding it hard to be away from her son, there was a little voice inside telling her to let him go have fun without her watching over him every minute of every day.

"You should probably get dressed, I am sure Maxie is waiting for us." he said then followed her upstairs and grabbed his clothes then went to shower in what had been set up as the nanny's room when he had been thinking he would need one.

Georgie was finished first, heading back downstairs wearing jeans and a v-necked long sleeve cream colored jersey shirt, she was trying to put on her new necklace when she heard a knock on the door. Opening it, she saw Mac and hugged him tightly, whispering, "I have a few of my memories back, I love you daddy."

Tightening his arms around his little girl, Mac buried his head into her shoulder and said "I love you back."

Slowly parting, she looked at him, and saw that he had aged. "How is Maxie?"

There was a glance between them then she said "I know she had a transplant, I remember a few things like that, its the details that are missing. What happened?"

Telling her all he knew,, he said "Georgie, Maxie was hoping you would stop over."

"Like there was any chance I wouldn't." she said calmly then looked at her necklace, turned around and said "Would you hook this for me."

Watching as she lifted her hair, which was now almost to the middle of her back, he hooked the cameo on and asked where she had gotten it. "Johnny."

Looking up when they heard footsteps, she smiled at the man coming down the stairs, pulling on a sweater and saw it wasn't only their son that needed a haircut, John's hair was a bit longer than he had worn it before. "Mac, we are on our way to see Maxie."

"Georgie told me. You should know, some people are aware you are alive but most aren't." he said just as Johnny's phone rang. Grimacing when he saw who it was, he said "I will take this in the kitchen."

Looking at her father, Georgie was glad that the hot head she loved was gone, that stunned her for a moment, the idea of knowing she loved Johnny but restructuring her thoughts, she said "Dad, can you get Ric Lansing to the station before he finds out I am alive?"

"Why?" he asked then added "He moved to Los Angeles."

"Because he knew I was alive and pregnant, I saw him in my memories with a woman I am almost certain is Johnny's sister. He helped her send me away and I want him charged." she said then looking towards the kitchen said "I haven't told Johnny, I was planning on doing so today."

Mac was furious, that a man who had children could do what he had, but then look at what he had done to Carly, to Elizabeth Webber. "I will ask Alexis if he is coming to town to get Molly for the holidays."

"Good, because I want him to pay this time." she said grimly as she heard Johnny coming in and then said "We will head over to Maxie now. Andrew is with the Morgan house."

Across town, Jason was watching the boys as they slid down the hill, while at the bottom near the house Elizabeth was building a snowman with Aidan, well more she was building the snowman, Aidan was chewing on the carrot his mother had brought along for the nose.

"Daddy, we want to go faster." said Cam as the three boys ran back up the hill. "Please?"

"Cam, this is the only hill your brother is allowed on right now. Maybe when you are with your friends this week, you can go to the bigger hill." said Jason. "And Andrew is too little for the other hill too."

"Okay." he said with a grin then asked if Uncle Steven could take him skiing again. "I like going fast."

"You are so your mother's son." he said with a laugh as Jake and Andrew lined up for another go down the hill. Jason made sure they were on their sleds then gave them each a push and heard their laughter trailing back to him as they came to the bottom and slowed to a stop near Elizabeth and Aidan.

When instead of coming back up the hill, joining in the snowman building, Cam said "Race you down the hill."

Jason chased after his son down the slope, catching him just as he joined his mom. Kissing Elizabeth, he said "Yum, those lips taste suspiciously of hot cocoa."

"Sshhh." she said looking at the boys then back at her husband. "NO one can know."

The snowman was soon finished, looking slightly lopsided as Jason put on the top hat. "Where on earth did you find this?"

Giggling, Cam said "Mommy found it in the attic."

"I think my grandfather used it for one of the Nurse's Ball's." she said as they herded the boys inside for some warming and hot cocoa. Jason waited until the boys were occupied then kissing Elizabeth asked "So are we on for tonight?"

"I don't know, Mr. Morgan, I might have to ask the other men in my life first." she said "One of them already expressed an interest in my plans for this evening. His offer, well it was more exciting, it involved a train and tracks. Just what is your offer and you better up the ante if you want me to spend it with you instead."

With a leer, Jason leaned down and said "You, me, the studio and no clothes. But how about this, you go on your date with that other young gentleman, I will wait for you, then we can attend to my needs."

"Oh really, your needs?" she asked with a raised eye brow. "That offer of the train is sounding better and better."

"I am quite certain that while fulfilling my needs, other things will be filled and you won't be disappointed." he offered as his hand slid down her body in a suggestive fashion to her stomach and stopped there as he leaned in to whisper. "If uh, you don't get what you need that way, there are plenty of others, I am quite adept at."

"You haven't disappointed me yet, but I never turn down extracurricular attention." she said in his ear as her hand out of sight of the boys ran down his rear and then squeezed it. When Jason yelped, she gave him an innocent grin and said "Is something wrong?"

"You don't play fair." he said then went to get control of his body before returning to the kitchen.

Sonny woke up after a particularly epic session in bed with his wife, then turned to look at her. Finding her gone he went to get a drink and shower. Returning to find her still missing, he opened the French doors and stared out at the warm water on the very lovely sunny day. They had flown into the island over night, after a rather sad trip to Port Charles.

He had gone home to see his family but his children had been a disappointment. Kristina had come over for a few hours on Christmas Eve, then had gone home wanting to spend time with Sam and Molly. That idea made him frown, Sam had gone back to Hawaii but Sonny didn't get why she was still alive.

That she had had the balls to come home for the holidays, he was certain had annoyed his former partner. That she hadn't gone to jail for her crimes was astounding, but Sonny was certain that that was because Alexis had done something to keep her out of jail.

Jail, that brought his mind to Dante who had joined the FBI's joint task force for Terrorism and hadn't spoke to his father since. He had thought the young man would get past this crap but clearly he was still believing he had higher morals than his own father.

Grimacing as this led to his thinking of Michael who was now wrapped up in the Quartermaine and Jacks lives and seemed to no longer want to be around his own father. That frown grew as he thought about Morgan who pretty much lived with Jasper Jacks.

"Sonny?" That caused the Cuban to freeze as he turned around and saw Sam McCall standing there wearing what looked like a sheet. "We need to talk, I have so much to tell you."

"Sam, what are you doing here?" he asked shocked to see his former lover in his tropical paradise and added "What the hell are you wearing?"

"Its a Grecian Robe." she said looking at him. "Its part of what I need to talk to you about. See, I have had it wrong, all this time. I just didn't know it. Thanks to Molly, my head is now on right. I read the book and as much as I hate it, it is right. Eros and Psyche seem to be meant to be together."

Seeing Sam undoing the gold colored buckle by her shoulder, he found himself closing his eyes, not wanting to see what he was certain he was about as she said "See, I was meant to be with you, you, the leader of the Underworld. It was fate, destiny."

"What on earth..." Elena looked at the woman stripping in her bedroom and at her husband who had his eyes closed and looked in pain that at the woman again. "Who are you and what the hell are you doing?"

"You must be his wife, you have to divorce him. See, Sonny and I, we are meant to be together. I am meant to be his equal, his partner in ruling the underworld." she said turning to look at the older woman wearing dress pants and a twin set sweater that reminded her of Elizabeth Webber for some reason.

"Uh, okay, is this some kind of joke?" she asked looking at the trashy woman in front of her. "Sonny is no longer a part of that life, he walked away from it for me."

"That is what I meant, if he was with me, he wouldn't have to give up his power. POWER that is his, that he is meant to have the reins to. POWER that is rightfully his." she said looking at Sonny, trying to remind him of what he used to have. "Don't you miss it, Sonny. Doesn't it ever bother you that Jason has all that power, all that control and you, you are here, exiled from what is your rightful place?"

Sonny felt that old familiar tug, that need to be in charge to be on top as she kept speaking but then he looked at the woman he was married to, the woman who gave him peace then at Sam. There was no real choice in the matter. "No, I don't. I have everything I want, except my children and to get them back, I can't go back to that world. I think it is time you leave Sam."

Knowing this was only the first battle in a war she had to win, Sam bent down, certain Sonny was watching her get dressed, after all what man could resist her. With a sexy grin she looked towards where the man was standing only to find him on the phone, with his eyes looking out the window.

"Please send someone down to escort Ms. McCall off my property, then fire whoever let her down here." he was telling someone on the other end of the call.

Sam just sauntered past the man's sad and pathetic wife then stopped at the doorway then said "Sonny, I will prove that I am the only woman for you. I will get back what is yours and return your children to you. I swear on the Goddess Minerva."

Shaking his head after the nutjob had left, Sonny apologized to his wife who said "I just have to ask, where on earth would a woman like that gain any knowledge into Greek mythology. I wouldn't have thought she knew where the country is let alone its gods."

Shaking his head, Sonny said "I have no clue. Wait, you got what she was talking about? I never heard of some of those gods."

"Yes you have, you just know them by other names." said his wife. "Cupid and his wife, as for the god of the Underworld, I think you are supposed to be Hades."

"Well people always told me I was going to hell." he said then laughed. "I was feeling rather melancholy, well at least Sam was good for a laugh."

"She gets naked in front of you again, and she will find out that you already have a wife and one who isn't afraid to defend her territory." she said coldly as she bent over to kiss him passionately. Two hours later, Sonny thought about something and left a very long voice mail for Jason.

He knew he had to warn his former partner that Sam was going to be going to Port Charles more than likely, and lord knew what she would screw up in the name of winning him. Then after a moments hesitation, he left a message with Alexis who heard it and began to laugh as she got what the hell was going on.

Sam meanwhile had had a long flight from Hawaii and as she settled in for her flight to New York, she began to dream of where she was Persephone and Sonny, well Sonny was Hades. That all she needed was her mother's approval and they could live half a year in paradise and half in Port Charles.

As they drove to GH, Georgie looked at the snow then at the clear sky and said "I missed this, I missed this weather."

"You missed the snow?" he asked doubtfully then laughed as getting out of the car at the hospital, Georgie scooped up some snow in her hand and tossed it at him. "No fair, you are wearing gloves."

"Aw, is the tough guy too wimpy to get his hands cold?" she asked then laughed when he reached down encircled her waist and lifted her up. "Hey, put me down!"

"Okay, but you asked for it." he said then pretended to drop her into the snow, but not actually letting go. Hearing a cough behind him, he turned and letting her put her feet on the ground greeted Kelly Lee who looked at Georgie in shock. "Yes, she is alive, yes there is a very long story to it. If you want to know, go find Robin."

Her jaw dropping Kelly watched as Georgie gave her a slight wave before her hand was caught by Johnny as they entered GH. There were a few strange looks, a few astonished gasps and from Epiphany Johnson when they got off the elevator on the correct floor a snippy comment. "Well, Ms. Jones, I see you managed to find your way back home, glad to know that your sister isn't completely crazy."

Johnny was glaring but the words made Georgie laugh as she said "I remember you, Epiphany Johnson, your son worked here too."

Nodding, no longer smiling, she hugged the young woman then looked at the man behind her and said "I am glad you are home, this young man had better take good care of you. Family is what matters most."

"I will and you are right." he said as he led Georgie to Maxie, then said "I will be waiting out here, I have to make a few calls about the call this morning."

"Something wrong?" she asked as she looked over at him, anxiously. She still had to tell him about Ric and she wasn't sure that it was such a good idea if he was already worried.

"I put someone somewhere they deserved, now they are out and trying to get home. Unlike you, no one would be very happy with his return." he said then as she removed her coat and scarf, he reached down to touch her cameo and said. "It looked beautiful there, almost like it was made for that spot."

Bringing her hand up to clasp his, she said "Thank you, for everything."

"I should be thanking you." he said then gave her a quick kiss to gauge her response. When she only smiled he added "Last night, I had doubts, but this scare Maxie is having... I need to remind myself what we lost and what I don't want to lose ever again."

Stepping away, he called Jason and said "We need to meet later, someone is trying to get Lucky Spencer free from where I placed him. I checked it isn't Luke, at least not yet it isn't. And Georgie is keeping secrets from me. I overheard her talking to her father. I need to get Lansing before he does."

Inside the hospital room, Georgie sat down next to her sister and saw how white she was. "Maxie, we can always do this later, if you like.."

"No, no." she said gaining strength as she looked at her sister. "I might not have the time and Georgie, I did some things, bad things while you were gone. Things I need to tell

you about."

With that, she explained about her beginnings with Spinelli only to laugh and admit ruefully "But uh, I guess you didn't care about him, like I thought you did."

Blushing a bit, Georgie said "I think I know who you are talking about, but it is a bit of a blank but no, my heart was breaking and then the blond was with the man I loved, once again I felt like I was losing... if we are talking about the same person, he was a sort of way of just trying to move on."

"The blond, Georgie, I befriended her, but then I was hanging out with Sam too." she said with a heavy sigh as she explained about Lulu and her friendship. "I was wrong, I made a huge mistake and I am so sorry."

"I wish I could say it doesn't hurt that you were friends with this woman, but Maxie..." there was almost an evil side to the grin on Georgie's face as she said "Wait until she finds out the truth about Johnny and I. Also the truth about why we were apart. How do you think she is going to take to finding out she was a replacement for me, a way to get over my death. Then to find out Johnny and I have a child together."

Looking down, she said with a groan. "Uh, I should tell you, I uh, was going through a bad time. I sort of was trying to figure out what was going on in my own head. Johnny was trying to end things with Lulu. We flirted a bit, but I promise, I swear on everything, nothing ever happened. I swear."

Georgie looked at her sister then said "Johnny said something about it last night. He went over things so quickly about it, I gather that it was like you said. But Maxie..."

"Yes?" she asked looking at her sister who had a sense of self awareness she had been

lacking before.

"Flirt with him now and I will smack you into next week." she said then moved in to whisper in her ear. "I remember most of everything with Johnny, including our time together, I know what I want and this time, no one is going to get between my family and me."

Georgie looked at her sister then said "Maxie, what else happened?"

"I uh, almost married Spinelli." she said wincing as she went over what happened then, then told her out about Matt, about Franco and her screw up there. Finally she said "I finally got that I was wrong, and I helped fix my mistakes. I helped fix things for Elizabeth, for Jason and then best of all, for their kids."

Taking a deep breath, Maxie told her about Jax and his daughter and what Carly did. Seeing Georgie's horror, she said "Yeah, I almost couldn't believe it. I realized then that I had to change, I didn't want to be like Carly. Old and making the same mistakes twenty years later. Anyhow, I got my act together, fixed things and have spent the last eight months becoming me."

Seeing how happy Maxie was about this, she then asked "Who is that blond man? He looks familiar?"

"Steven Webber, I am in love with him." she said then added "I know he is older, but I think that is what I need. Someone who accepts me doing the crazy stuff on occasion but expects me to work hard to do better the rest of the time."

"Are your feelings returned?" she asked. "I mean..."

"You mean have I stopped being an obsessive nut job chasing after other people's men. Yes. He loves me too. He is scared right now for me. His dad is going to be the one operating on me."

"Wow." she said looking at Maxie then asked one more question. "I couldn't ask dad, but I need to know, did they come?"

Maxie didn't need an explanation, looking at her sister she took a deep breath, considering lying but stated the truth instead. "Mom did."

"About what I would expect." she said. "Want to hear something odd?"

Maxie nodded cautiously. "When I was naming Andrew, I knew I wanted Mac for a middle name. Or rather Malcolm. I couldn't decide on a first name, then when reading the book came up with Andrew. When I read the name, I didn't like it. I felt a sense of anger connected to it."

"But you named your son Andrew." she asked confused. "Why would you do that if you felt like that."

"There was this couple, this man with his wife when I gave birth. They had a girl, their fourth daughter and that was his name. He had been excited by yet another child, even a girl. He was talking about watching her grow up, watching her learn to ride a bike, graduate, get married. He made me laugh as he talked to his wife... that was his name. Some part of me, it yearned for that even if I didn't know that the reason it bothered me so much was because our father, our biological father couldn't do that for me."

"He wasn't here for me either, Georgie." she said.

"Maxie, it was and we both know, that if it was you who had been thought dead, he would have shown up." she said standing. Reaching over to hug Maxie, she said "I have to go, I have to pick Andrew up, he is with the Morgan boys. We promised to take him to Kelly's and then he needs a haircut."

Maxie watched her sister leave, then sighed, knowing Georgie was right and hating her parents for it. Looking at the wall, she glared at it, knowing that when Felicia and Frisco arrived, things were going to get ugly because they were not going to be happy and something told her that this version of her sister wouldn't put up with any interference in her life from them.

Brenda was packing up to leave, feeling like she should have never come back to Port Charles. Looking around her place, knowing that her son was now properly buried. She had paid Damien Spinelli for his help and now that she had spoken to Jax it was time for her to leave town.

Arriving at the hospital, knowing she had to at least tell Robin goodbye in person. Finding her talking to Monica Quartermaine, she said "May I speak to you for a moment."

Nodding, Robin walked with her to the waiting area and said "I am sure you heard about Maxie, and while I appreciate the visit, right now, isn't the time, Brenda. I am really rather busy helping prepare for her operation."

"Wait, something is wrong with Maxie?" she asked astonished.

"Yes, she collapsed last night." she said frowning then her frown went away. "Oh, I get it, you heard that Georgie a alive and with her son."

Blinking, Brenda said "What? I thought... I guess unless you see the body yourself you shouldn't believe anyone is dead."

Robin was now confused. "Brenda, if you aren't here because of any of that, why are you here?"

Brenda looked at her friend before checking her watch. "I came to let you know, I am leaving town. But, clearly you are busy. I will give you a call in a few days. Robin, if there is anything I can do, please let me know. I should be at my villa in Rome by the end of tomorrow."

With that the former model walked away to the shock of Robin who looked at her as the elevator doors closed, then shook her head as she got that clearly Brenda was a bit busy and hadn't really connected to what she had told her.

Brenda was at the airport when her phone rang. "Most bodacious one, thank you for the bountiful bonus."

"Spinelli, thank you." she said then asked him if he had heard how Maxie was doing. She was a bit surprised to realize he didn't know that his non-wife was in the hospital and needed surgery. Hanging up, he rushed out of Kelly's, past Lulu who was arguing with Nik and off to the hospital.

"Lulu, I told you to stay with your father." he was saying not at all happy with his sister. "No one knows you are in town."

"You know that Luke does what he wants. He already made plans to take off for Ireland." she said pouting. "Besides, I made a couple of calls and heard that Dante is coming to town to see Michael and the rest of his brothers and sisters."

"I thought you wanted to help Lucky." he said getting annoyed. He hadn't wanted her to come to the states, he hadn't wanted either of the Spencers to come home but but both had and now he had no chance in hell of getting Elizabeth to go and help his brother.

"Well, of course I want to help Lucky but with Elizabeth going, well you won't need me will you." she said as she sat down at a snowy table hoping to see Dante coming in, after all she knew he was in town, her plans already changed, after all, there was no way that Liz wouldn't help Lucky.

"Elizabeth is refusing to help him." he said in a frustrated tone then added. "She said he is on his own."

"Did you tell he how bad it was, how he was being mistreated by the guards, how he had been attacked in the shower room. There is no way she wouldn't help if she knew." Lulu was certain that Nik hadn't done so, after all he was still feeling guilty for what had happened, no matter what, he was responsible for the way their brother had fallen apart.

"She refused to listen." he said annoyed. Nik had been shocked, truly shocked that Elizabeth would react the way she had, and that she was still with Morgan, that was even more of a kick in the face for him. That that thug was winning, well he wouldn't stand for it. He had an idea and he needed to speak to Bobbie to execute it. "I need you to go back to the island."

"NO!" she said. "I will talk to her, how dare she treat my brother like this. After all Lucky did for her, to dessert him like this." she said storming inside to get something to eat with every intention of dealing with that traitor Elizabeth afterward.

She really couldn't deal with this, not now. She had been fired from her job, Anne Marie, had said she wasn't competent and that Brenda had been a fool to recommend her for it. Added to that, she had heard a rumor that Dante was on a date with Brooklynn Ashton and even if she was well over Dante, she had no intention of letting that trashy singer win. But she couldn't tell Nik that, she didn't want him distracted by hearing what his old lover was up to.

Then there was Johnny, she had heard an odd rumor about who the mother of his son, one she had discounted almost immediately but she had no intention of leaving town until she heard from his own lips that Georgie Jones of all people wasn't the mother of his son.

Luke who had slipped in through the back door of the diner, sat down in the office and went to see what money he could find. Opening the safe, he found a note addressed to him. "Luke, I heard you got out of prison, so I cleaned out the safe, there is no money any where in this diner. Grow up, big brother. I am done supporting you."

With that, he slammed the safe closed just as he heard footsteps. Turning, he saw Nik and saw the man frowning. "What the hell is your problem?"

"Why the hell can't you listen to me." he fumed. "I told you to stay put, that if he wanted to rescue Lucky we had to do this carefully. Then I have to hear from Lulu how you are making plans to go to Ireland yourself, we don't need you screwing this up, Luke."

"Relax, Cassadine, all it will take is getting Elizabeth to help us. She won't turn us down, besides, her son is home, I didn't run him over." he said leaning back in the chair as he took out a cigar and lit it.

Scoffing, Nik said She won't help us. I tried and I even lied to her, it didn't work. We are on our own rescuing Lucky. You need to stay out of sight until I figure out who it was that set Lucky up so that he went to prison as Ronan."

"It was that bastard Morgan." said Luke furious as he recalled why he had made his own plans to rescue his son. He was positive that the only reason he had gone to prison was Sonny's old partner. "It had to be."

"I checked, it wasn't Morgan. I wish it was, I could have used that to make Elizabeth wake up as to how she is deserting Lucky."

The two men sat there, silently trying to figure out what the hell was going on and who else Lucky had pissed off enough to leave him rotting and being abused in prison.

Maxie was laying back, having been put on oxygen, her mind traveling over the past few months. She had finally gotten her act together and now she was paying for her sins. Her eyes closed, she felt like karma had come to bite her on the ass. "Maxie?"

Opening her eyes, she saw Matt standing there. "Hey, how are you?"

"I uh, was stopping through town for the holidays. I heard from Patrick... how are you?" he asked sitting down near his ex-girlfriend.

"I am going to be fine." she said then asked "How are you? I heard about your new girlfriend, I was so happy for you. Must be nice, no drama, no one telling you how bad her past is."

"I never regretted our time together." he said softly. "Ever. I heard you were dating Steven. I uh, kind of expected that in a way."

"What?" she asked a bit confused at what he was saying.

Matt laughed then said "I saw the two of you, when you were looking into who the real victim of Luke Spencer was. There was chemistry there. I just thought that the two of you would never get it together."

"We, we did, finally. Matt, thank you for coming to see me." she said then was given a soft hug from the doctor who said he wished he could stay. "Nah, go back to Baltimore. I already have enough people sitting around, waiting to find out what is going to happen to me. Did you hear about my sister?"

"Yes." he said then said "One thing, don't think that this is some sort of payment for her return, I don't think that the big guy does that."

"Thanks, Matt." she said then watched him leave, then wiped a tear just as she heard a ruckus in the hall. Grimacing when Spinelli rushed in, she found she didn't have the energy to deal with one of her biggest mistakes. And considering the ones in her past, that was saying something.

"My beloved..." Spin was about to throw himself on his non-wife when he was grabbed by strong hands from behind. Turning, he looked at the man standing there and said "Let go of me, you fiend, my beloved needs me."

The man standing there looked at Maxie then back at the geek and raised his eyebrow as he said "Your beloved needs to be kept away from you. You are clearly sniffling, which means you are going to spread germs to her. So, back away before your very presence kills her."

"I know who you are, you are the man that ruined the life of my beloved Goddess by bringing back the lost child who should have remained lost." he cried out as he tried to escape the doctor's hands as he glared at him.

Jeff looked at his patient, saw her eyes narrow as she looked at Spinelli then asked her if she wanted him to stay. "Yes, I think I need to speak to him. Would you please ask Steven to come in though."

Nodding, he let the geek go, then grabbed him when the twitchy little man dived for Maxie. "No, here."

With that, he shoved the geek into the chair near Maxie then said "Stay, or you will leave this hospital with the help of security."

Opening his mouth, Spinelli's eyes met the green eyes of the doctor, closed his mouth and sat down then looked at his beloved who was glaring at him. "Spin, how on earth can you accuse Dr. Webber of ruining Sam's life. She destroyed her own life. And this idea that Jake coming back was not a good thing, what on earth..."

"Bu-but the Goddess is all alone in this world. My former master has abandoned her." he said softly. "Its why I left, I couldn't stand to be here, watching as she mourned the loss of what was her dreams."

"Spinelli, what about Jason's dreams? What about Elizabeth Webber's dreams, don't they matter?" she asked a bit confused. "What about the dreams of their children?"

"Jake was a mistake, my master should have never let the maternal one keep him from his son, he should had demanded of her to release Jake to him and his true love." he stated. Maxie's jaw dropped, "Sam deserves happiness."

Steven who was outside the door, found himself waiting, needing to hear Maxie's response and she didn't disappoint him as she said "So only Sam's happiness matters, that is rather selfish Spinelli because I assure you, Jason and Elizabeth are very happy, ecstatic actually and so are those boys and frankly if that means Sam who hurt them badly, who did terrible things isn't happy well I can well live with that."

Spinelli started to protest but Maxie looked at him then said "You need to leave. Spinelli grow up, just grow up. You need to move on. I can't believe that there was ever a moment of that I thought I was in love with you. Wow, maybe I need to speak to a doctor, because clearly I was crazy."

Spinelli stood, then stiffly glared at her. "That you have changed so much is a such a disappointment, you are not the woman I once loved."

"Thank god for that." she said then saw the door opening and Steven entering. "Spinelli, don't come back. By the way, why don't you go to Hawaii, go embrace your goddess, take a good look at her because I guarantee she sees you way more clearly than you see her. She has used you since the moment she met you. She doesn't like you, you are a convenience."

Sniffing, he walked out, then said to her "You will regret this."

Steven hugged Maxie then asked if she was okay. "Yes, its just... was I as delusional as he is?"

"Yes." he said bluntly then added "You grew up, faced that life isn't a game where you maneuver chess pieces around to get what you want."

As they sat there, holding one another, she said softly "Frisco and Felecia are coming to town. I don't want them here. Its sad but I don't want them around right now. Not when they weren't here for Georgie, when they weren't here for Andrew. I think that my biological father might cause trouble for them."

"I will tell Morgan." he said.

"No." Seeing his surprise, she said "I just... my dad will try to send him to jail. I just want to get well, have them leave and go back to living my life. To getting to know my nephew, to find out who my sister is now."

In the hallway, Diane Miller was speaking to the man she was dating. "Jeff, unless he does something outrageous, there is no way to ban him from the hospital. Trust me, I get where you are coming from. He is a menace. I at one point had tried to befriend him, but looking back, I can see that his obsession with Sam being with Jason... that it is a threat."

"I called Jason, gave him a heads up but they aren't worried. Jason says that he has plans for Spinelli."

"That doesn't sound good." said Diane. "Spinelli won't just fade away, unless Sam moves on and even then, well he will still want them together."

In the waiting room, Felicia entered to see her ex-husband speaking to Monica Quartermaine. "How is my daughter, how is Maxie?"

"Lets speak in my office." with that, Monica and Mac grabbed Jeff Webber and went to the privacy of Monica's office. "Should we wait for Frisco?"

"No, I will tell him what I learn." she said "He needed to stretch his legs."

In truth, Frisco had had to hand off his report regarding their case to his boss who was coming to town to get it. He was down by the docks, pacing near the old pier close to the diner he had hung out in all those years ago.

Up at Kelly's, Georgie was holding her son's hand while Johnny was talking to Jason on the phone. Jason had asked him a question earlier while they were picking up Andrew and he had just recalled the answer. As they entered the courtyard, Georgie heard her name being called out excitedly.

"Georgie!" Turning to see Bobbie's grandson Morgan along with his brother Michael, she hugged the younger boy then asked "Do you know my son, Andrew?"

"No." said the younger Corinthos boy who then added "But I thought you were- I uh, I thought..."

"I was dead." she finished while sending Andrew the five feet to where his father was. "Someone bad made it look like I was. I found my way home yesterday. Michael."

"Georgie." he said not sure what else to say to the young woman he knew was related to him. Then seeing Johnny coming up, acting protectively, he said "How do you know Johnny?"

"It was Trevor who made it look like Georgie had died to hurt me, long before he faked her death. He wanted to use her to control me, wanted to make our son disappear." he said quietly so that Andrew who was telling Morgan about his holiday didn't hear.

Not understanding but getting it was none of his business, Michael said "We have to go, I have to take Morgan back to Lady Jane and then head to work. Georgie, it's great you are back."

The teenager left, then greeted his brother who came into the courtyard with a pretty blond. "Dante, hey man."

The two men exchanged manly hugs then stepped back before he turned to his girlfriend and said "Did you know Michael when you lived here before, Serena?"

"No." she said then shook hands with the boy before frowning and saying, "Wait, maybe, didn't you used to be a red head?"

"I grew out of it." he replied then asked how she knew him.

"Scott Baldwin was my biological father. I didn't see him much, but he would show up when he remembered he had children and that they weren't with Laura Spencer." she said drily. "He died last week, had a heart attack in Prague."

"OH, I uh, hadn't heard." he replied then told Dante. "Mac Scorpio's daughter is alive."

"What?" he asked confused.

"Georgie, his youngest, Maxie's little sister." said Michael then Morgan came up putting away his cell phone. "What did Molly want?"

"Her dad is in town to spend the rest of the holiday with her, she asked me make a call for her since he will be around quite a bit." he said awkwardly then added "She called to speak to Sam, but she left Hawaii already."

Shrugging, Michael said "Who knows, but hopefully she doesn't come back here, she is too much like Mom and too full of drama."

With that they parted, the brothers to the hotel and the young couple onward towards Kelly's.

Back at the diner, outside playing in the snow were Johnny, Georgie and Andrew. Their son had wanted to walk down by the docks, this after driving past his dad's construction site and telling his mom all about it, now he wanted to show her the plans going on down by the diner at the old cannery but his father had suggested they go to the nearby

barber.

"Daddy, please?" he asked and Johnny found himself unlocking the doors and showing Georgie all the changes he had made and were planning to make before saying it was time to cut those locks off. The barber found himself having a very unusual client as Andrew insisted his father get his hair cut first, then tried to get out of having his cut before giving in.

Brushing the cut hair away, then giving the little boy a sticker, he watched as the parents joked around with him, with each other, unsure where he knew the young woman from who was with the well known former mobster. As they left, he cleaned up the floor and heard the sound of his bell.

"May I help you?" he asked the man entering.

A bit unsure, Frisco said "I need to cut my hair, but- no, I need to cut it."

The barber did so, amazed that this man also had the same curly hair that had created such a problem for him with his last client. Chuckling he said "Bet when you were a kid, this hair gave your parents fits."

"Not really, they just kept it short, why?" he asked befuddled as to why the barber would think that.

"I just had a young man in here with his parents. Same sort of curls, same thick hair but his was such a dark brown it was almost black. Both mom and dad had curls. Mom's hair was long, beautiful and dad clearly keeps his short to avoid the same curls. Remarkably well behaved little boy, that Andrew."

"Wait, his name... it was Andrew?" asked Frisco. "Odd, that is my name even if I go by a nickname."

"Strange world." said the man taking payment as the middle aged man stood, then turned to ask "Is the diner open today, Kelly's?"

"I hope so, that is where I am planning on ordering my lunch from." he said with amusement.

Back at Kelly's, things were a bit tense as Lulu watched Dante entering, not with Brooklynn Ashton which would have just pissed her off but instead with someone she didn't know. At least not at first until she heard him calling her Serena. "Dante, hi."

Turning to look at his ex girlfriend, Dante said "Hello, Lulu. I thought you were in Italy."

"France." she said a bit frostily. "I am back to help out Lucky. The Irish police have him in custody, for some reason they think he is Ronan O'Rielly."

"Did you ever think of leaving that to the professionals?" he asked. "Seems to me you being there will create more problems than solve them."

Turning to his grandfather he said "Can we get two bowls of chili, two hot coffees and a grilled cheese."

"I will bring it right out. Is that your new partner?" asked Mike as he looked at the petite blond young women who smiled at him in return.

"No, she is my girlfriend, we met when her adopted grandfather was almost shot over some invention that a terrorist cell wanted. He was from around here, her mother too. You might know her, Lucy Coe. Serena is her daughter."

"NO WAY, NO WAY IN HELL." said a loud Lulu as she stalked over to the well put together blond wearing the expensive Burberry wool pea coat and red scarf and glove set. Spinning her around she said "You, what the hell are you doing in Port Charles? No one, I mean no one wants you here."

"Hello, Lulu." she said amused then her eyes narrowed as she looked at Dante who had walked over to try and protect her. "Wait, this is the crazy blond you broke up with, with the even crazier family? Funny, really funny. Sorry, but Dante, you weren't kidding, your taste in women really has had an upgrade."

"To you?" asked a skeptical Lulu. "I mean, come on, you are a nobody."

"Well you are the daughter of the woman your father raped." she said with a cold smirk. Seeing Lulu flinch, she said "Oh wait, that's right, touchy subject. Sorry Lesley Lu. Anyhow, I am in town with Dante to see about my dad's property since he died after ending things with your mother. How is she doing by the way?"

Luke had exited the office, planning on helping himself to the cash in the register when he saw his daughter slap a blond woman in the middle of the dinner. Unfortunately for his daughter, the blond slugged her back. "Lulu, angel, are you okay?"

Serena looked at Luke then said "Keep your daughter away from me, Spencer. I am in town to take care of my father's last requests and I would think even you would respect that."

"Do I know you?" he asked then ignored her when he saw Dante telling Lulu he was calling the cops. "Good, I want this young woman arrested for slapping Lulu."

Rolling his eyes, Dante said "Lulu took the first swing and Serena was defending herself."

"Wait, Serena? Serena as in Scott's daughter? Your dad is dead?" he asked with a chuckle that revolted Dante. "Sorry about that, when is the funeral?"

Shaking his head, Dante looked at Mike then at Serena and said "I am sorry, I guess this was a bad idea."

"No, it is fine, its not your fault the Spencer family has no class." she said then asked Mike if they could get their meal to go. "Dante, I am only sorry I talked you into coming with me. You didn't need to see this."

"Actually I did." he said then saw his former partner entering the diner. "We won't be pressing charges but Lulu there just attacked my girlfriend."

"She called my dad a rapist." snarled Lulu as she started to speak but thought twice about it since she wasn't sure how much the police knew about her father's history with her mother.

"I sure did and we both know I wasn't lying." she said then looked at Luke adding. "There might be some in this town who once made the mistake of thinking you were a hero, but in truth, you were a lying cheating, alcoholic rapist who finally has been seen for who you are. I know about the kid you killed and that at first it was thought to be your own grandson."

"It wasn't, it wasn't his grandson, even if it had been Jake who died. He wasn't a Spencer." said Lulu while Luke saw the scorn in Serena's eyes. Ronnie stepped up to the counter, sticking around, just it case this got ugly. Who knows, maybe his day might be made and he might get to arrest a member of the Spencer family finally.

"Lulu, enough." he replied then looked at Serena and said "I would like to attend if you have services locally."

"Luke, like I told Laura, I would prefer if every single member of the Spencer family forgot my family name. My father would no more want you at his funeral than he would want Dante's father there. Hell, he might accept Sonny there before you."

"Hell, Corinthos is why his daughter was an addict." said Nik coming over, he had been listening from the side room and didn't like the look in his sister's eyes, he was afraid she would get distracted as to the main reason they were together and that was to free Lucky.

"And Lulu is why Logan was killed, or did you forget he was my brother."she said coolly and when Lulu started to blubber she said "Yeah, I know about his trying to kill you. I also know that it was too late thanks to the farce of a trial my dad created but it became known that my brother had a mind altering drug in him. He wasn't responsible for his actions."

"Yes he was, drugs or no drugs." fumed Lulu. "He deserved what he got."

"And your brother, he deserves to rot in prison." she whispered into Lulu's ears. Then stepping back said "Funny, when it is Lucky who cheerfully gets himself addicted to drugs, everyone else is at fault. I don't give a damn about you, about your family Lesley Lu. You avoid me, I will avoid you while I am in town, but in the end, you are still a Spencer, still the same sad girl you were all those years ago."

"And, you are nobody, you are getting his used. I had him first." she said smugly pointing to Dante.

"Oh Lulu." she said laughing. "I am a Staunton and heir to all that means including a hundred million dollar fortune which we both know means something to your family, after isn't that what you dad does now, marries rich women. As for Dante, well we are just starting out, but I do know one thing, he was too good for you and you blew it. I won't make that mistake."

Mike was handing Dante the bag with their food when the trio walked in, two adults holding hands with a little boy who was talking a mile a minute. The older man smiled at the picture in front him, two days ago he had been shocked to see her, now he was just happy to see the lost look missing from her eyes.

Dante had looked up to see what his grandfather was smiling about and saw Johnny holding hands with a woman and a little boy walking in front of them. "Is that Johnny's son?"

Nodding, Mike went to greet the couple, hugging Georgie surprised when she hugged him back. "I uh, remember a few faces and emotions."

Ronnie meanwhile had gotten a call, robbery down on Courtland street, so he left wishing he could stay, almost certain that he would be missing some action right here in the diner.

"I am glad. I heard about Maxie, how is she?" he asked while behind him Nik froze and stared at Georgie Jones while Lulu who was occupied with Serena missed what had everyone staring.

Nik found himself looking around, since Georgie was a victim of the TMK, maybe Emily was alive as well. Suddenly it hit him, if she was, she would be looking for him, going to Wyndemere. Leaving the diner, without so much as a goodbye, he ordered the shuttle pilot to take him home. "NOW and step on that throttle."

Back in the diner, Serena stopped talking, shoved Lulu out of the way of her view and said "OH MY GOD."

"Hey, I am talking to you." said Lulu who was pissed when the blond hurried past her so quickly she couldn't even grab her arm. Then her jaw dropped, blinking, she took another look, then another and then looked at the other girl and said "No, she isn't. She just looks like Georgie."

That got Luke's attention, he turned and saw the face which Lulu couldn't and then at his daughter before looking at the little boy who was calling Johnny daddy and said "So that is the kid that Brenda thought was hers. I heard about that. Why are they with Georgie Jones and how is she alive?"

"That's not Georgie." insisted Lulu. "Please, like Johnny would be with Georgie Jones."

Serena didn't care what Lulu thought as she reached out and tightly hugged the familiar looking woman. "Goddamnit, why didn't you let people know?"

A taken back, Georgie rifled through her memories then laughed as she hugged the blond. "Serena? I uh, didn't even remember my own name until a few days ago. How are you, wait, I have a couple of people I want you to met."

Serena looked at the man standing so protectively behind Georgie while his eyes followed the small boy who was sitting at a table, pretending to read the menu. "Serena, this is John, my... uh.."

"Is is so hard to say the word boyfriend." she said with a smirk then recalling what Lulu had done to her last one said "Or maybe you don't want to announce it with the

Succubus in the room."

Georgie gave a quick laugh then said "No, its more complicated than that. As for your succubus, I never gave much credit to that theory. More like spoiled selfish brat than anything else. Anyhow, Johnny, this is my friend Serena Staunton. Serena this is John Zachara."

Crack. John reached up to hold his now burning cheek while Serena looked at him and said "Oh, I know the name. This is the bastard who helped Lulu cover up my brother's murder."

Seeing her shock, Serena said "Yeah, while my brother was hopped up on drugs given to him by John's father, he lost it, attacked Lulu. Yes, she killed him, which I can understand a bit of, if I squint real hard and look past the games she played with both men, finally choosing the richer one like always. What I can't forgive is what they did next."

With that, she walked to the door then said "Sorry, Georgie, but there is no way in hell I will forgive that."

Walking out, leaving behind a confused Georgie, a regretful and worried Johnny, she forgot about Dante until she was pacing back and forth outside. "I know you don't want to hear this, but don't let this destroy your friendship with Georgie. John made a mistake, a big one, but it wasn't done with malice intent."

Turning, giving a cold laugh, she said "Oh I am sure not. Lulu like her cousin Carly play the victim all too well."

"Its more than that." he said. "Sometimes you do stuff, remember I told you I lost my job with the Port Charles police department, let me tell you how that happened."

Inside, Georgie was checking on her son, ignoring his father who had gone to get the ice offered by Mike, not wanting their son to see his face looking like that. "Helping a Spencer, always bites you in the ass."

"You have that right." said Mike with a grimace. "Look, did you give Georgie a heads up on your past with Lulu? She is here."

Turning around quickly, he moved forward just as Lulu began rubbing her eyes. "No, no, this isn't real. This is just... you are like Logan... no, not real, its not real. You can't be real. I watched, I saw you in that coffin. Tried to feel bad about being happy you were gone... so no, you aren't real."

That got John's attention. Lulu hadn't attended the funeral, so why on earth would she be saying she had. Looking at her, seeing something in her eyes, he moved between her and his family. Blocking the blond as he said "Lulu you need to back away from Georgie and our son."

"Our son? No, see, that is what I mean, it can't be. For that to be true, you would have had to know Georgie before she died and you didn't. I made sure of that." she replied then tried to move around him while Luke watched unable to move as she continued talking. "I don't know why you are lying but that isn't Georgie. That isn't Georgie's son."

Dante and Serena who had come back inside after the blond had agreed to his suggestion regarding John and Georgie. Seeing Lulu, seeing the half gone expression in her eyes, Serena stood there, not moving forward, wanting to see what would play out.

Georgie checked on Andrew then saw Mike approaching with a worried expression on his face just as she heard the doorbell. Seeing Serena coming back in, she glared at her old friend then felt a sense of relief when she saw Jason Morgan. "Jason, would you please keep an eye on Andrew for me a minute?"

Looking around, accessing the situation even after he had said yes, Jason knew that whatever was going on, John would be able to handle it. Georgie stood, waited until Andrew had been distracted by his friends father then moved around John.

Feeling his hand on her arm, she smiled at him and said "As soon as Jason gets Andrew out of here, I have to deal with her. If I don't she won't go away."

Yes she would, John was sure of that, all he would have to do is make things even worse for her brother in Ireland. But he would step back so that Georgie could do what she needed to. The woman in front of him, looked like her world was ending as she looked at the brunette with a longer hair and more toned body. "No, no, it can't be. No, you can't be Georgie."

"Aw, is that the sign of a guilty conscious?" she drawled out then looking at Luke said "You might want to get your daughter out of here before she makes a return trip to Shadybrook."

"Last time it was the fault of Romeo there." he said glaring at Johnny.

"You know, its funny, my guess is you weren't protesting his relationship with her when he was pouring money into that tub you mistakenly call a boat, were you?" she taunted. Seeing Luke's surprise, she said "Oh, I had a long talk with my sister and with John about what I missed while I was being held captive."

"W-who?" he asked not able to finish that statement when he realized Nik was gone and that he had fled rather quickly.

"Nothing connected to you, so none of your business." she said with a smirk. Looking at Lulu who was sitting down, almost slumped far enough in the chair to fall under the table she told the other woman. "You on the other hand, need to know why it is your business. I was grabbed by Trevor Lansing. Yes, the same man who tried to grab you while you were still playing one man against another."

That got Lulu up as she became herself again as she said "Really, when was this, because he didn't know you before we dated. Heck he didn't know anything about Port Charles."

John coughed then said "Yes I did. I came to town long before we ever met. The night we met, I was trying to wrap my car around a tree because I had been told by Trevor he had dealt with the woman he knew I was in love with. He had told me she was out of my life for good. That I had no choice to obey. When he caught up with me, I made it clear I had other options, like death."

Luke recalled how he had first meet Johnny, on the roof of the hospital, his comment about not feeling alive anymore and swallowed, HARD as he looked between Georgie and John then at the boy who he had heard about. Swearing softly he tried to get his daughter to leave.

"No, no, I am going no where. Are you trying to tell me that it was Georgie? Well maybe it was, after all you moved on pretty quickly." she said to him then looked at Georgie. "Just like Dillon did. He fell pretty easily into bed with me."

"After you convinced him I was cheating on him with the help of Diego Alcazar." she pointed out. "As for John, well if it kept him alive, I am grateful he slept with your skanky ass."

"How dare you, I am no skank. That would be your sister." she said smugly then felt her smile fall off as she heard Georgie laugh.

"Lulu, you are a year younger than me, and lets see, you have had Dillon, had an abortion after getting pregnant there, then there was Logan, who you had only after leading on Spinelli that guard of Sonny's and Dillon. Logan you dumped when you met a richer guy. John. Then there was flirtation with Ethan, thank god you found out he was your brother in time or that might have been a little awkward, huh?"

Lulu flushed then glared at John the only person who knew about her mild flirtation. Georgie looked at her then said "Plus we have Dante there, then you I understand almost fell into the old family line of work-prostitution. So, who was your love in Paris, we both know you had one."

Flushing, Lulu started to say no one but instead taunted her with John. "At least I can keep a man."

"Aw, Lulu, no you can't. Either way, I am not here to debate your love life. Just to tell you to stay away from my family. You should know, I let things go before, things that led to me being held hostage while pregnant. No longer, so back off."

"No." she replied. Looking between Dante then at John she said "You both know I can have either of these men if I wanted them. They would both be panting after me, all it would take was an invite."

Georgie looked over Lulu then said while smiling at her. "Only in your dreams. Lulu, don't cross me. The truth is out about the Spencers, if I were to finally take your skinny selfish, self absorbed ass down, no one but no one would feel sorry for you. Grow up, Lulu. Being a Spencer means that you are a deadbeat dad, a screw-up and of course some sort of addict and for your generation, well weak minded."

Luke began to speak when he saw a red head outside the window and swore. "Siobhan, that was Siobhan."

Lulu called out to him but Luke was already on the hunt as he took after his son's wife. "Daddy?"

Turning to Georgie, Lulu said "Why are you here?"

"Could you define what you mean by here? Are we talking metaphorically? Or physically here in this diner, or in this town or are we speaking Spiritually because I promise, I am not a ghost."

Screaming in annoyance, Lulu said "Why are you here in Port Charles, why the hell are you in my family's diner. Why the hell aren't you dead?"

"Not dead because well, my killer screwed up the job." she tossed out there. "As for the diner, well Andrew loves the place and in Port Charles, well I am here to get back what belongs to me. My son,..." With a smile that Lulu was beginning to hate she added "My lover, he is pretty good, isn't he, Lulu. Too bad for you, you will never get him to go there again,"

By now the unraveling blond was on the edge but Georgie pushed her over. "Lulu, if I were you, I would let Lucky stay wherever he is, because you see, I have been having memory flashes since I walked into this diner. Very interesting ones that when I get a chance to speak to my father... well your brother might prefer that Irish jail he is in."

Johnny gripped her arm, moving closer to her as he heard Georgie's tone almost break before regaining control. "Why the hell should my brother be scared of you?" sneered Lulu.

Georgie looked at then at John and said "Because I just got the last of my missing memories back and trust me when I say, he doesn't want it known what I know. Either way, your family has screwed me over for the last time. Oh and Lulu..."

"WHAT?"

"I learned something right before I died, something that I haven't brought up, but I would just bet that Elizabeth Morgan would be real interested in." she said. Seeing Lulu turning white, she said "Yeah, we both know what I am talking about. Get out of town, Lulu."

"Don't tell me what to do, Georgie." she said then looking at Johnny said "You know, you weren't dead even three months before we had sex for the first time. What you should do is call Dillon, ask him to come back to you. I am done with him, you can have him back."

"Thanks, Lulu. I am sure that Tracy is breathing a huge sigh of relief about that." she replied then said "As for John, well,"

Looking at the man standing there, watching her, she said "I hurt him deeply when I broke things off. Yet from the moment he heard there was a chance I was alive, he searched for me. Was broken when he found out that Susanne had killed me, yet again. Yet, this necklace I am wearing... he bought it for a dead woman, Lulu."

Showing her the cameo hidden under her scarf, "That he did that, tells me all I need to know about John and myself. Where we are going in the future. We have a lot to work through, but none of it is a matter of trust or love. Those are the very few things I have no worries about."

Lulu looked at the cameo, then at the lovestruck expression on her exes face then at the woman she had disliked since she had returned from school. Rage coursed through her body as she saw John's hand enfold Georgie's then out the window, past the other bitch she had disliked even longer to the little boy playing in the snow with Jason Morgan.

Then back at Georgie and she saw the way her thumb was caressing Johnny's hand and felt anger and pain overflow her senses. Her hands were shaking as she saw the way that John looked over at as if he was afraid she might physically attack Georgie and wanted to, oh how badly she wanted to.

Georgie looked back to Lulu, her hand still holding onto John's as she let her anger fade away. "Lulu, I hope that someday you find what you are looking for. I am just sorry that you got caught in the middle of John and my mess with his family. I know it cost you a lot. We have made plans to move on, you are only reacting like this because you are feeling... well I don't know. But either way, I am sorry."

Serena moved past them, seeing what Dante had wanted her to see. Clearly she didn't have the whole story regarding John Zachara as he rubbed Georgie's arm with his other hand. Serena watched as in spite of the tense situation, Georgie relaxed against him and murmured thanks. With that, Georgie told John that they should gather Andrew. "We can come back later, maybe for dinner."

Watching as the man she had once loved, started out the diner, still holding onto Georgie's hand and Lulu couldn't resist saying. "John, please, I need your help. Please, you know that my brother doesn't deserve to be in jail in Ireland. Please, help me."

Seeing the pity in his eyes, she was convinced he was going to help her when he stopped Georgie from leaving. "John, for my sake, please, help get him out."

Leaning in so that only they could hear he said "Why would I do that when I went to all the trouble of getting him arrested."

Lulu blinked, standing there stunned as the couple walked out the door. As what he said settled into her brain, she screamed and pushing the door open, rushed at them shouting that "It was all Georgie's fault."

Turning at the shrieking, Georgie saw the blond coming towards her and balled up her fist and hit the blond who bounced back a bit before sliding to the ground just as Nik turned up. The Prince stepped over his sister lying on the cold wet ground as he approaching the couple, making Johnny wish he had a gun.

"I can't believe it." he was sputtering, "I was going to go home, to wait for her there, but you can tell me, you would know, wouldn't you. Where, where is she? Where is Emily? Georgie, please, where is my beloved."

"Nik, Emily is dead." she said gently. "I remember attending her funeral before I went missing. I am sorry but whatever you are thinking, you are wrong."

"No, no, she is alive, my beloved Emily is alive." he said ignoring her then Luke who showed up to announce that Siobhan was in town and that she had looked pregnant when he had seen her.

Walking away, ignoring the man, Nik kept repeating that he had to get home, that he had to find Emily. That he knew his grandmother was hiding her from him. Georgie thanked Jason for keeping Andrew who was looking over the tall man's shoulder and staring at the screechy blond woman now laying on the ground.

"Daddy, did you see what Mommy did?" he asked in awe of his mother. "She must have taken boxing lessons too."

"Too?" Georgie looked at John who had the grace to flush then leaned in to whisper to the dark haired man. "Who did you hit in sight of your innocent, impressionable son?"

Johnny pulled her closer then whispered "Damien Spinelli."

"Ah, okay, I will let that one slide. By the way, I didn't have a crush on him." she informed him. "I was just reeling from seeing you with Carly Jr."

Shuddering, he said "There are no apologies big enough."

"No, but you at least tried to find one." she replied only for John to laugh. Turning to Jason and taking their son, she asked the blond about Elizabeth and the boys."

"They are fine. I hate to do this now, but I need to speak to John." he told her.

"Fine, fine. I will put him in the car seat, will that be enough time." she said just as she saw Mike leaving the diner and helping up Lulu who was waking up. "Either way, I have to go."

At the sedan, she had just gotten into the passenger seat when John joined them. "Everything okay?"

Looking at her, he said "Everything is going to be fine. He was a bit worried about my plan."

Nodding as she answered John's now ringing phone, she heard a strange male voice saying. "Georgie, this is Steven Webber."

"Is this about Maxie?" she asked.

"In a way, your sister wanted me to tell you that your parents are here." he said. Hearing silence he stated. "I uh, know that this isn't my place, but sometimes confrontation, well it is helpful."

Wanting to tell him he was right, it wasn't his place, she thought about being told it was his father who was going to be saving her sister. How that had come about, she wasn't sure but she was sure at least a few harsh words had been exchanged between the Webber children and their neglectful parents.

Looking back at her son, then at John she said "Will you do me a favor. Tell Mac I am on my way, but keep it from Maxie, for now. I don't want her any more upset than she already is."

Ric was not in a good mood as he left Alexis' house. He had just dropped off Molly and found that Sam was back. He had deliberately avoided his ex-wife's daughter, had waited until he had heard she had gone back to Hawaii before coming to see his daughter.

Instead she had waltzed into the place just as they had sat down to eat. He had hoped that with Sam gone he might have a chance again with Alexis. He had been shocked when Molly had told him her highly romanticized version of Jason and Elizabeth. He had gritted his teeth and kept from his daughter how pissed he was about it.

Then to hear Sam, _Sam_ of all people agreeing with Molly... he had at first been convinced the other woman was going to go after Morgan only to hear her repeated questions to Kristina about Sonny and got the feeling that Sam was going after a past lover but that it wasn't Morgan, nope he got the feeling that she was after much bigger prey.

Sam was after Sonny and she had done her homework and knew that the key to reinstating Sonny as head of the Port Charles mob was going to have to start with taking down John Zachara, but she had used her body with other men... surely this one wouldn't be any different. Not if it got her love back his crown and throne.

Going to the room she had dropped her stuff in, she picked up her book, the one that was going to guide her to getting back her man as head of the Underworld so he could install her as his queen, Sam went to the expert on all things Sonny forgetting that Carly and she hadn't parted on the best of terms.

Just as she was about to slip in through the emergency room entrance, Sam felt hands on her arm and tensed up, scared she would get caught before even putting her plan in place until she felt arms hugging her and a familiar voice saying. "Goddess, thank you for returning. I promise, I vow to be your most humble servant, to return you to your former glory as the one true love of Stone Cold."

Sam smiled at the geek standing there shivering in the cold and asked "Spinelli, where are you staying?"

"Alas, the bodacious one as moved on, but she has let me stay at her humble abode until her rental agreement with the evil spawn of Satan has run out." he cried out.

"Lets go there and I shall tell you why I am quite resigned into letting that mealy mouthed nobody have that wimp. I have moved on to bigger and better men. I no longer will settle for a demigod, I want a King." she said while squaring her shoulders and raising her head. "I deserve the best and Jason Morgan isn't even close. I deserve to be a queen and only one man can make me that."

Spinelli looked at her and said "Uh, Goddess, Nicolas is only a Prince and your first cousin."

With a scoffing laugh, she said "As if I would settle for a man like that, I am after the real power, the real King. Sonny Corinthos, Mob King, king of the underworld, he is my destiny. I am Persephone to his Hades. See, I was taken away from him. My mother is... here, just read the book."

Thrusting it at him, she saw his eyes widen then say to her. "But Goddess..."

"No, no arguments Spinelli. This is my destiny. My fate. You must help me achieve it."

To the older blond man coming into the hospital, the twosome sounded delusional so he quickly approaching the older doctor standing at the hub. "Uh, sir. I think two of your mental patients escaped."

"We don't keep them here, they are transferred to Shadybrook." said Jeff Webber. Looking at the man, he asked "May I help you?"

"I am here to see my daughter, Maxie." he replied only to hear the sound of childish laughter from behind him. Turning to see a dark haired man raising a little boy and settling him on his shoulders as the boy's mother fretted, he gave a wistful sigh that that had never been him when he saw the father lean down and kiss the woman who blushed.

"Daddy, daddy, my turn. I want to kiss Mommy." Both men watched as the boy leaned down and kissed his mother before saying he loved her. "Mommy can I go visit Dr. Patrick, he always has cars in his office for me while you visit Maxie, please?"

Johnny and Georgie spoke then she watched as he took the stairs so that Andrew could keep riding on his shoulders. Wrapping her arms around her herself, she gave herself a quick hug then turned to see Dr. Webber speaking to a man. Who that man was hit her just as Felecia and Mac came off the elevator arguing.

"I just don't get it Mac. Why would Georgie not want to see me before speaking to you. What is going on here?" she was asking frustrated with her ex. "I want to see my daughter. I don't want to wait until you give your permission, you need to remember, I gave birth to her."

Frisco had turned to the arguing couple, then said "Felecia, this isn't helping."

"I want to see my daughter." she insisted again.

"And you think I don't?" he asked frustrated. "I want to see both my daughters. Yet..."

Mac had seen Georgie and was about to say something when she held her fingers to her lips. Waiting until the other couple had paused she said "Felecia, if you want to see YOUR daughter, why aren't you upstairs in her hospital room. As for you, Frisco. You only have ONE DAUGHTER and she is laying in a bed upstairs."

Both turned, shocked. Felecia as she took in her now adult daughter standing there with her arms crossed. When she came over to hug her, Georgie stepped back, out of reach then saw Frisco approaching.

Moving over to Mac, she stood there and looked at the people who had given her life and said "I am not going to debate this, be here for Maxie but to me, you are the two people who had sex, creating me, nothing more."

"Georgie?" Felecia's voice broke as she saw the stubborn expression on her daughter's face. "Please, I lost you, I can't lose you again. You have no idea, none how empty I felt when I heard the news."

"Mac, when did they learn about my son?" she asked never taking her eyes off the couple standing in front of her.

"Around Mother's day." he said.

"So, for the last six months, my son was here, they couldn't bother coming to town to meet him. This from someone who says she felt an emptiness at my loss." she said scornfully. "My son, who for six months was here, known to you, you couldn't bother to come and help him. So, no, you are not my mother. As for you Frisco, this is what, the third, maybe fourth time we have been face to face in my entire life. A sperm donation doesn't a father make."

With that, she looked at them then said "I am going upstairs to see my sister. I would prefer if you two stayed away from my son and his father. Frisco, don't make the mistake of coming after Johnny out of a misguided need to try and fix my life. My life is just fine, the father of my child has been more of a parent to our son than either of you ever were to me."

Watching with regret as Georgie took the elevator, Mac looked back at the twosome and said "Felecia, you need to tell Frisco what Maxie said. Right now, I have to worry about those two girls and my grandson. I don't have time if the two of you go off half cocked trying to right wrongs you should have tried to fix years ago."

Frisco stood there, stunned as the other man left and hurried up the stairs himself. Resting his hands against the hub, he bent over and looked at the ground. "What did Maxie say?"

"Nothing." replied Felecia. Looking up at Dr. Webber, she reluctantly said "Maxie said that if we stay, we keep our mouths shut about their lives, we don't interfere with their lives and as soon as she is well, she wants us both out of their lives."

Frisco's expression was bleak as he looked at the blond he had fallen in love with all those years ago and said "What has become of us. I swore I wouldn't be a distant parent like my own and yet..."

Jeff walked away, he couldn't offer them any advise, he had none to give. He was well aware that the only think that had fixed things with his daughter was bringing back her son. That otherwise he wouldn't have gotten his foot in the door.

Seeing Epiphany Johnson, leaving for the night, he murmured good night then asked "Nurse Johnson, how is Ms. Jones?"

"Holding her own, doctor." she replied as she continued on her way past the couple standing as still as statues, looking into one another eyes, clearly distraught.

Upstairs, Patrick had Andrew in his office while Robin, Georgie and Maxie talked quietly about what was going to happen the next day and Johnny was speaking to Mac about the Jones' and Andrew. When Frisco had come off the elevator after having persuaded Felecia to head to the hotel for a bit, he saw the groupings and stood there, feeling like an outsider as he saw Bobbie rushing into the room and her reaching out for his daughters.

He watched as she hugged Georgie tightly, then reached for Maxie's hands while listening to Robin talk. He saw Monica Quartermaine looking older before her time, close the door then looked up as she said "I think that they need some privacy. Frisco, forgiveness will take time. What you need to decide is if you will stick around long enough and learn the lay of the land before asking for it."

The blond man stood there, alone, ashamed to admit to himself that he didn't know the answers to the question he was now asking himself.

TBC


End file.
